PRIVY COUNCIL

Conservative Party

Norman Baker: To ask the President of the Council pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Tyler) of 18 March, Official Report, column 621W, if he will give a breakdown of the travel expenses for 2002–03.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not held centrally.

Pensions

Oliver Heald: To ask the President of the Council if he will list the (a) funded and (b) unfunded public sector pension schemes for which his Department, its agencies and its non-departmental public bodies are responsible; when the last actuarial valuation was of each scheme; what the value was of the assets at the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; what deficit is disclosed by the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Privy Council Office has one unfounded pension scheme for its staff, the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS). A Full actuarial valuation was carried out at 31 March 1999. Details of the scheme can be found in the resource accounts of the Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation (www.civilservice-pensions.gov.uk).
	The department has no agencies or non-departmental public bodies.

TRANSPORT

Aston Clinton Bypass

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of the cost of the construction of the Aston Clinton bypass.

David Jamieson: The estimated cost of the construction contract for the Aston Clinton bypass is £22.1 million excluding VAT.

Bus Companies

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of transport subsidies was allocated to bus companies by each passenger transport authority in each of the last three years.

David Jamieson: The table shows the funding in support of bus services provided by each of the Passenger Transport Authority (PTA) areas in each of the three years to 2001–02. The figures for public transport support include subsidies allocated to bus companies but also local authority administration and technical costs. The figures are the latest available and those for 2001–02 are based on provisional estimates.
	
		
			  Public transport support (£million) Concessionary fare reimbursement (£million) 
			  1999–2000 2000–2001 2001–2002 1999–2000 2000–2001 2001–2002 
		
		
			 Greater Manchester 22.5 27.4 27.5 38.0 38.1 40.7 
			 Merseyside 12.5 13.6 14.5 33.5 35.2 36.4 
			 South Yorkshire 8.2 9.1 10.0 9.5 10.1 12.9 
			 Tyne and Wear 11.0 11.9 12.5 21.5 21.5 22.0 
			 West Midlands 30.4 28.9 28.5 54.0 58.3 62.1 
			 West Yorkshire 24.2 29.0 29.4 18.5 19.8 20.0 
			 All English PTAs 108.8 119.9 122.4 175.0 183.0 194.1

Central Line

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether penalties will be imposed on London Underground for the delay in re-opening the Central Line.

David Jamieson: London Underground are bearing the full costs of the closure of the Central Line, including making the necessary safety modifications to trains and of compensating customers as well as the loss of income resulting from the suspension of services.

Central Line

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether compensation will be offered to those businesses which have lost trade as a result of the closure of the Central Line.

David Jamieson: London Underground have already put in place arrangements to compensate customers who have suffered as a consequence of the withdrawal of services on the Central Line. They do not propose to compensate businesses for any related loss of trade.

Central Line

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the impact on (a) retail trades, (b) small businesses and (c) the evening economy of the closure of the Central Line.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 28 March 2003 to the hon. Member for the Vale of York (Miss McIntosh), Official Report, columns 412–13W.

Cliffe Airport

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the risk of a bird strike to aircraft at the proposed Cliffe airport;
	(2)  what additional research has been commissioned since the publication of the consultation on the future development of air transport in the south-east on the risk of bird strike to aircraft at the proposed Cliffe airport; and if he will publish the results.

David Jamieson: The SERAS study included a preliminary assessment of the risk of birds colliding with aircraft at Cliffe. Details of this work are contained in appendix four of "The North Kent Marshes Ecological Study" (phase 1 report), copies of which are available in the House Libraries.
	The Central Science Laboratory and British Trust for Ornithology were jointly commissioned in September 2002 to conduct further research to assess more fully this risk and identify possible mitigating measures. It is intended that the final report of this work will be published shortly.

Commercial Confidentiality

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential.

David Jamieson: It is not standard practice in my Department to verify claims of commercial confidentiality on receiving information from organisations, as this is normally only relevant if the question arises as to whether such information should be disclosed to another party. My Department follows the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The Code, and the guidance on the operation of the Code, helps officials determine whether such information should be disclosed.
	The Code provides a specific exemption for a third party's commercial confidences. In deciding whether or not information should be withheld under this exemption, officials must consider whether "unwarranted disclosure would harm the competitive position of a third party". While it is ultimately up to the Department to decide in accordance with the Code whether to disclose the information, the third party whose interests may be adversely affected is normally consulted in order to inform the Department's decision. Even where the exemption prima facie applies, the information in question may still be disclosed if there is an overriding public interest in disclosure, but disclosure of commercially confidential information without consent will usually be appropriate only where the risk to public health, public safety or the environment is substantial and specific.
	A decision to refuse requested information may be made without consultation with the supplier of information where the case for confidentiality is obvious and overwhelming.

Creche Facilities

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what crèche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport (central) currently provides six subsidised child care places, costing approximately £26,000, covering staff in London and Hastings. This amounts to 45 per cent. of the cost of these places.
	The former DTLR provided 12 subsidised child care places as part of an inter-departmental nursery scheme administered by the Home Office, and the places have been split between ODPM and DfT.
	DfT also participates in the Westminster Holiday Playscheme, which provides holiday care for children of school age. The Department subsidies 50 per cent. of the £26 per day cost of each place. The contract is with DTLR, and it is therefore not currently possible to identify DfT costs only.
	The review of child care (originally begun by the former DTLR) has been jointly conducted with ODPM. The Departments are separately considering recommendations in the review, but the aim is to provide an enhanced package of provisions that will benefit more staff including central Department staff outside London.

Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport [pursuant to his answer of 6 February, Official Report, column 369W], on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to each helpline charged at national and premium rate in the last year for which records are available; and what the average duration was of these calls.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport has 134 Helplines of which 66 are charged at national rate and three at premium rate. A table detailing calls made to each national and premium rate helpline between January and December 2002, together with the average call duration where known has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Local Government and the Regions Committee

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the members of the working group referred to in the Government's response to the Ninth Report of the Transport, Local Government and the Regions Committee, HC557 Session 2001–02, on Road Traffic Speed.

David Jamieson: The rural road hierarchy working group consisted of representatives of this Department, Babtie Ross Silcock consultants, the Highways Agency, Scottish Executive, Scots (Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland), National Assembly for Wales, CSS (County Surveyors Society), Countryside Agency, Slower Speeds Initiative, Motorists Forum, ACPO and IHT (Institute of Highways and Transportation).

Rail Services

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority on the past and future undertaking of funding for rail freight through (a) Freight Small Schemes Fund, (b) incremental output statements for freight, (c) freight facilities grant and (d) track access charges; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will list the Strategic Rail Authority Freight Small Schemes Fund schemes (a) which have commenced, (b) where feasibility studies (i) have been completed and (ii) are continuing, (c) which have been placed on hold and (d) which have been cancelled, indicating in each case funding from the Strategic Rail Authority, (A) awarded, (B) approved and (C) projected in 2003–04;
	(3)  what representations he has received from the freight industry on the (a) Freight Small Schemes Fund, (b) incremental output statements for freight, (c) freight facilities grant, (d) track access charges and (e) potential changes in funding for each, during the financial year 2003–04.

David Jamieson: Ministers and officials in my Department meet regularly with the Strategic Rail Authority about a wide range of issues and receive representations from time to time about the funding of rail freight
	The SRA's Strategic Plan sets out its proposals to introduce a new Company Neutral Revenue Support scheme later this year. It is also revising its rates for calculating freight grant awards (Sensitive Lorry Miles). The Freight Small Schemes fund is used internally by the Strategic Rail Authority to fund development work and is not available as a source of funding for outside bodies.

Rail Services

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings he (a) has had and (b) plans with members of York council on the Rail Passenger Scheme proposed for new stations at Haxby and Strensall.

David Jamieson: None. However, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Transport has exchanged correspondence with City of York council about the North East York Rail Scheme.

Rail Services

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he estimates there will be a new railway station in Peterborough.

David Jamieson: There are currently no plans for a new railway station at Peterborough.

Rural Roads

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission demonstration projects on rural road speed management.

David Jamieson: The Department has no immediate plans to commission any demonstration projects on rural road speed management.

Signage

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on signage for local destinations from trunk roads in urban areas.

David Jamieson: The overall policy is to provide drivers with sufficient information to reach their intended destination safely and efficiently, but not more information than they can readily absorb or which would require the use of excessively large and environmentally intrusive signs. Local transport note 1/94, based on the results of research into the assimilation of information on directional signs, recommends a maximum of six destinations on any one sign on an all-purpose road, which may include a mixture of primary, non-primary and local destinations. The Highways Agency would normally consult the local traffic authority on traffic management priorities for signing local destinations from the trunk road, to ensure that there will be continuity of signing on the local road network.

Stansted Airport

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of air travel from Stansted airport was accounted for by (a) residents of the south east of England, (b) residents of other parts of the UK and (c) overseas residents, in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: holding answer 1 April 2003
	
		Distribution of passengers(1) at Stanstead airport by area of residence: 2001
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 South East(2) (including London) 30 
			 East of England(3) 23 
			 Rest of the United Kingdom 19 
			 Overseas 28 
		
	
	Note:In 2001, 81 per cent. of all passengers at Stansted Airport started or ended their journey in the South East, or East of England GORs.
	(1) Arrivals and departures
	(2) Government Office Region (GOR)
	(3) Including Essex and the rest of the East of England GOR

Stansted Airport

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the noise preferential routes for Stansted airport under the option of three additional runways as outlined in The Future of Air Transport in the South were determined.

David Jamieson: No noise preferential routes have been determined for any of the possible additional runways in the consultation document. Aircraft arrival and departure routes were developed for various airport locations to assist with the modelling of noise exposure and local air quality, so that the relative impacts of the many runway development options could be compared.
	Routes to and from new runways in all the airport options were derived in essentially the same manner. Routes to and from existing runways were left unchanged wherever practical, and routes for new runways were based on the existing airspace structure of airways, waypoints, holding areas etc.
	Arrival routes to all runways were assumed to be straight in on the runway heading. Departure tracks for new runways at an airport, and existing runways where necessary, were based on existing departure routes as far as practical.
	In practice, the development of one or more new runways in the south east would require substantial changes to the region's airspace structure which could affect thefinal configuration of routes. It was not feasible to predict in detail how airspace in the south east might need to be reorganised in the long term to cater for increased activity. As part of the SERAS study, CAA and NATS did carry out a high level assessment of the overall pressures on airspace of sample combinations of new airport capacity up to 2030 and concluded that the increase in air traffic could be accommodated.

Transport Council

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the outcome was of the Transport Council held on 27–28 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: The transport segment of the Transport, Energy and Telecommunications Council was held in Brussels on 27–28 March. I represented the United Kingdom.
	The Council reached a general approach on a proposal to further accelerate the phase-out of single hull tankers and to ban the carriage of heavy grades of oil in such ships sailing to and from EU ports. The regulation will apply to all ships calling at or leaving Community ports and to all ships carrying Community flags anywhere in the world. The final date for phase-out of single-hull tankers is 2010, with an exemption until 2015 for certain vessels under specified conditions. A presidency compromise date of 2008 was agreed for the coming into effect of a ban on carriage of heavy oil intankers below 5000 tons deadweight. The definition of heavy oils was agreed as those having a density at 15oC higher than 900kg/m 3 . I would have preferred a transitional period to 2010, and a definition of 950kg/m 3 , but these compromises are acceptable to the UK so, together with other Member States, I was able to support them as part of an overall package.
	The Commission presented its proposed Directive on ship source pollution and the introduction of sanctions, including criminal sanctions, for pollution offences. The presidency concluded that the Council would return to the matter in June.
	The Council agreed a general approach on a Directive to streamline the assessment of minimum vocational training standards for seafarers. The UK supports the proposal.
	The Commission outlined the content of its Communication on Maritime Security, which is expected shortly. It will include a draft regulation on security for ships and ports in the EU, implementing existing IMO obligations, and set out the Commission's future strategy including a Directive on port zones and staff security in the second half of the year. The presidency hoped that the Council would be able to take decisions on these issues at its June meeting.
	Under AOB, Belgium and France urged action by Member States to support an unlimited liability system in respect of oil spills arising from recklessness by ship owners and charterers. This went beyond the Commission's original proposal. Council had previously agreed that the proposed Supplementary Fund to the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPC) regime, to be adopted at the May 2003 IMO Conference, should have a limit of up to Euro1 billion. The Commission noted that, if the IMO failed to adopt this supplementary fund, the EU should adopt its own regime before the end of the year.
	Also under AOB, the Council discussed a paper for IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee in July, tabled jointly by France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and the UK, proposing the creation of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs), around our coasts. The proposal requires further work on points of detail, but there was support in the debate. The Commission stressed the need for consistency with the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
	The Commission presented a progress report on the EU satellite navigation project, Galileo, and outlined the state of play on negotiations with third countries. A Commission mandate for negotiations with China about their involvement in the project was agreed on the condition that security arrangements would be the same as for Russia and the US. The presidency looked forward to conclusions on integrating the existing EU EGNOS system in June.
	The second rail package, which includes measures to complete market opening for rail freight, promote interoperability and safety and establish a European Rail Authority,was agreed. The package brings forward full liberalisation of international freight from 15 March 2008 to 1 January 2006 and requires liberalisation of domestic rail freight markets by 1 January 2008.
	The Commission presented its proposal to improve safety in road tunnels following disasters in Alpine tunnels in recent years. The Directive will apply to all tunnels over 500m long on the Trans European Road Network and will stipulate technical changes, safety instructions for users and different management procedures. At least seven tunnels in the UK would be within scope I expressed concerns about the costs and benefits of the proposal—which are shared by a number of Member States—and about the potential adverse impact on traffic flow.
	The Council confirmed the common position it had reached at the special session held on 31 December last on extension of the ecopoints scheme for limiting Alpine lorry transit traffic. In doing so the Council rejected the amendments proposed by the European Parliament in its first reading on 12 February 2003, which could result in a difficult conciliation. The issue is not one in which the UK has a substantive interest.
	On aviation issues, the Council debated the Commission's request for a mandate to allow the Commission to negotiate air service agreements with the US. Most Member States were willing to give the Commission a mandate but only in return for greater certainty over future arrangements for the negotiation and implementation of bilateral agreements with third countries in light of the recent judgement of the European Court of Justice. The presidency concluded that work would continue with a view to reaching agreement in June.
	The Council was asked whether it supported the broad aims of the Commission's proposed regulation on unfair pricing practices by third countries, and where it could be improved to facilitate agreement at the next Transport Council. The Commission's proposal would allow Community measures to be applied to non-EU airlines found to be using state aid to price unfairly. Most Member States agreed with the broad principles of the proposal, but had specific concerns on the detail. The Presidency invited COREPER to consider the issues and submit a text to Council in June for Common Position.
	There was a unanimous political agreement on the proposal to improve safety standards of third country airlines operating to and from Community airports.
	Following discussion over lunch the presidency reported general support for the Commission's view that state assistance for European airlines during the conflict in Iraq should be limited and proportionate.
	No formal votes were taken at this Council.

Working Time Directive

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of the working time directive on the transport industry; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Transport workers will be subject to the original working time directive (93/104/EC), as amended by 2000/34/EC, by August 2003. The Department of Trade and Industry published a draft impact assessment on 31 October 2002 along with a consultation document covering all the sectors excluded from the original Directive. This draft will now be revisited following comments received from the consultation exercise that closed on 31 January.
	My Department has recently consulted on implementing a separate directive on the working time of mobile workers in the aviation sector (2000/79/EC) and will be finalising its cost assessment based on the responses we received on our consultation. We will also consult both sides of industry on the likely impact of the directive for mobile workers in the road transport sector (2002/15/EC). A draft regulatory impact assessment will be published later this year, alongside a formal consultation document on our proposals.

PRIME MINISTER

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister whether he raised the awarding of post-war reconstruction contracts to Halliburton during his visit to President Bush on 26 and 27 March 2003.

Tony Blair: I had discussions with President Bush on a range of issues relating to the conflict in Iraq, including the post-Saddam Administration and reconstruction of Iraq, which should be endorsed in a UN Security Council Resolution. Specific contracts were not discussed.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

National Minimum Wage

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the rules are for payment of the national minimum wage to (a) 16 to 17-year-olds in employment, (b) 16 to 17-year-olds in employment but exercising the right to time off for study, (c) 16 to 17-year-olds on publicly funded modern apprenticeships and (d) 18 to 24-year-olds on publicly funded modern apprenticeships.

Alan Johnson: All 16 to 17-year-olds and apprentices aged 18 are exempt from the national minimum wage. Apprentices aged 19 to 25 (inclusive) are exempt from the minimum wage during the first 12 months of their apprenticeship and entitled to receive at least the rate of minimum wage appropriate to their age thereafter.

Fuel Poverty

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent estimate she has made of the number of (a) people and (b) households in the Buckingham constituency that are in fuel poverty.

Brian Wilson: The Government published "The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy 1st Annual Progress Report" on 4 March 2003. This showed that the number of households in fuel poverty in the UK is estimated to have fallen from about 5.5 million in 1996 to about 3 million in 2001.
	The most recently available information on fuel poverty in the South East is set out. Figures are not available centrally for individual constituencies.
	
		Number and percentage of households in fuel poverty(4),(5)
		
			  2001 
			  Number of households (thousands) Percentage 
		
		
			 South East 232 6.9 
			 England 1,761 8.6 
		
	
	(4) For England and its regions the main source of information is the five yearly English House Condition Survey (EHCS). The latest figures on fuel poverty from this survey relate to 2001.
	(5) Fuel poverty is defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent. of its income (including Housing Benefit and Income Support for Mortage Interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime.

Inspection Staff

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) total number of staff and (b) number of inspection staff employed by the National Weights and Measures Laboratory was in each year since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: I have asked the Chief Executive of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to reply on my behalf.
	Letter from Dr. J. W. Llewellyn to Mr. Norman, dated 2 April 2003
	The Secretary for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question on what the (a) total number of staff and (b) number of inspection staff employed by the National Weights and Measures Laboratory was in each year since 1997.
	(a) The total number of staff employed by the National Weights and Measures Laboratory in each year since 1997 was:
	1997—53
	1998—53
	1999—57
	2000—58
	2001—56
	2002—57
	2003—57 as at current
	(b) NWML does not have powers of inspection under the Weights & Measures Act 1985.

Non-executive Directors

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the Financial Reporting Council's decision to restrict consultation on the Higgs Review of the role and effectiveness of non-executive directors to fatal flaws and specific drafting matters during formulation of the revised combined Code by the FRC.

Melanie Johnson: Derek Higgs consulted extensively during the course of his review. I understand that the FRC Chairman, Sir Bryan Nicholson, has made it clear that the FRC is happy to receive comments on any matters related to the proposed revisions to the Combined Code and that all such responses will be considered carefully.

Nuclear Waste Liabilities

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a total audit and cost estimate of all Britain's nuclear waste liabilities has been completed.

Brian Wilson: The government White Paper Managing the Nuclear Legacy—A strategy for action estimated the cost of dealing with the UK's civil public sector liabilities to be £48 billion (undiscounted) as at March 2002.
	As part of the process of preparing the ground for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) the Liabilities Management Unit within DTI is acquiring a detailed knowledge of BNFL and UKAEA liabilities.

Nuclear Waste Liabilities

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated total cost of storing Britain's nuclear waste will be each year once a single storage sight has been agreed.

Brian Wilson: The cost of storing Britain's nuclear waste in future will depend on the long-term management strategy we adopt. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said in her letter to you dated 29 July 2002 that the Government and the devolved administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would set up a new independent body to recommend a long term strategy for managing UK radioactive waste. This process will indicate whether any new waste facilities or sites are needed. DEFRA has now advertised for a Chair and Members of this new Committee on Radioactive Waste Management. Applications are due by 2 May 2003. My right hon. Friend hopes to receive its recommendations by 2006 or sooner.

Office of Fair Trading

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on the issue of the OFT's access to information on past convictions of applicants for consumer credit licences from the Police National Computer; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: We have had no representations.

Pharmacies

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish the research undertaken (a) by and (b) on behalf of the Office of Fair Trading for its recent report on entry controls for pharmacies.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 31 March 2003
	When the OFT published their report on pharmacy entry controls on 17 January, they also published supporting evidence in Annexes A-I (Volume 2) and Annexes J-0 (Volume 3).

Solar Power

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) names and (b) political affiliations are of the panel appointed by the Energy Saving Trust to assess her Department's Solar PV Major Demonstration Programme Stream 2 applications.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 31 March 2003
	The panel represents a broad cross-sector of interests and experience to enable detailed assessment of all of the elements of bids to the programme. The Department has not published the names of the panel members to ensure that they are not lobbied by applicants. I are not aware of their political affiliations.

Solar Power

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish the minutes of the meetings of the panel appointed by the Energy Saving Trust to assess her Department's Solar PV Major Demonstration Programme Stream 2 applications.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 31 March 2003
	The Department already publishes a list of the winning proposals and provides a summary of comments made at the panel meetings to all applicants. There are a number of issues of commercial confidentiality discussed at the meetings which we would not want to publish. To do so may inhibit specific proposals coming forward to the programme. The Department and its agents also provide a significant amount of information on the Major Demonstration Programme outside the panel meeting process to installers and the general public.

Solar Power

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the panel appointed by the Energy Saving Trust to assess her Department's solar PV Major Demonstration Programme Stream 2 applications will provide written feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 31 March 2003
	Yes. It is already the Department's policy that all bidders receive written feedback on their applications.

Wind Farm, Solway Firth

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs are expected to be created in England and Wales by the (a) construction and (b) operation of the Robin Rigg windfarm in the Solway Firth.

Brian Wilson: While it is too early in the project's development for contracts to have been awarded for the Robin Rigg project, it is my understanding that such a project is likely to involve the creation of around 100 jobs during construction and 10 during operation. The location of the jobs will depend on the contracts.

Working Time Directive

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate the Government have made of the costs to (a) the haulage industry and (b) the UK economy of implementation of the Working Time Directive.

Alan Johnson: The Department of Trade and Industry published a consultation document containing a draft impact assessment on 31 October 2002. According to this, the original cost of implementing the Working Time Directive was £2.4 billion. Included in this was the cost of applying the Horizontal Amending Directive (2000/34/EC), which will extend working time law to the transport sector from 1 August 2003. This was estimated at £100 million per annum; it was not possible to break this down further into individual transport sectors. This figure will be revisited following comments received from the consultation exercise that closed on 31 January 2003.
	The Department for Transport will consult both sides of industry on the likely impact of the directive for mobile workers in the road transport sector (2002/15/EC). A draft regulatory impact assessment will be published later this year, alongside a formal consultation document on their proposals.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

County Councils

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to review the powers of county councils.

Christopher Leslie: We are streamlining the role of county and district councils in relation to planning. Otherwise we have no plans to specifically amend the powers of every county council.

Parish Councils (Code of Conduct)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the operation of the code of conduct for parish councils.

Christopher Leslie: The Model Code of Conduct has applied to all parish councillors since 5 May last year, and the vast majority are meeting its requirements.

Affordable Housing (Somerset)

David Heath: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the availability of affordable housing in Somerset.

Tony McNulty: The Communities Plan announced by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 5 February sets out the key challenges facing Somerset and the South West region. It provides a clear and coherent summary of the way the Government's policies will address these. The new responsibilities of the Regional Housing Board will be crucial in delivering more effective housing and planning policies in Somerset.

Regional Referendums

John Randall: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the responses that have been received in respect of his proposals for regional referendums.

Barbara Roche: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is still receiving responses about the level of interest in each English region in holding a referendum on an elected regional assembly. To date we have received about 5,000 responses. We will announce our decisions after the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill has received Royal Assent.

New Localism

Tony Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what definition he uses of the term new localism.

Nick Raynsford: New localism embraces the enhanced role that we wish to see for local councils in leading their communities, engaging more fully in innovation, taking more responsibility for their own decisions and using greater freedom to shape services to meet local needs.

New Towns

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the New Towns.

Tony McNulty: Officials have met the New Town Special Interest Group on a number of occasions to discuss the implications of our developing sustainable communities agenda. The most recent, with the Group Secretariat, was on 27 January.

Regional Assembly (East of England)

Andrew Selous: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the number of responses received to, and how much support there was for, the Government's proposal for a referendum on a regional assembly for the East of England.

Christopher Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has so far received approximately 5,000 responses to our soundings exercise about the level of interest in each English region in holding a referendum about an elected regional assembly. We have identified just over 200 responses from the East of England.
	We will announce our decisions after the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill has received Royal Assent.

Disabled People

David Borrow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from organisations representing disabled people in connection with the consultation on the establishment of a single equality body.

Barbara Roche: We received nearly 300 written responses to the consultation on the future of Great Britain's equality institutions that finished last month. These included a significant number of contributions from groups representing disabled people. During the consultation period I also met several groups with particular needs, such as people with learning difficulties, to hear their views in person.

Council Tax

Karen Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will rank each local authority in England by the percentage of total expenditure raised by council tax in 2001–02.

Christopher Leslie: The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.

Council Tax

Adrian Flook: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reasons the spouses of servicemen deployed overseas cannot claim the sole occupier discount for council tax.

Christopher Leslie: A full council tax bill assumes that at least two adults have their sole or main residence in a dwelling. There is a 25 per cent. discount for a dwelling that is the sole or main residence of only one person. Service personnel are treated in the same way as anyone else who is working away from home when determining their sole or main residence. When a person is employed overseas, the dwelling in which their spouse lives remains the main residence unless it can be shown that there has been a change of sole or main residence. A single person discount will not therefore apply.

Emergency Calls

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) genuine and (b) malicious false alarm emergency calls were received in Buckingham in (i) 2001 and (ii) 2002.

Nick Raynsford: Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue attended 1,650 genuine false alarm calls and 468 malicious false alarm in 2001–02 (the latest year for which data are available). Data for 2002 are not yet held centrally.

Fire Service

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the average number of days lost through sickness absence was per firefighter at each station in Buckinghamshire in 2002;
	(2)  how many firefighters based in Buckinghamshire were on long term sick leave in 2002.

Nick Raynsford: Information about sick absences at each fire station and the number of firefighters on long-term (more than 28 days) sick leave is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. On the basis of the annual return for 2001–02, the following information about the numbers of shift/days lost to sickness by regular firefighters in Buckinghamshire is available and tabled.
	
		Number of shifts/days lost to sickness by wholetime firefighters in Buckinghamshire in 2001–02
		
			 Duty system Short-term sickness Long-term sickness Total 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Wholetime shift 774 831 1,605 
			 Day-crew 337 386 723 
			 Day duty 52 19 71 
			 Flexible duty 28 149 177 
			 Total 1,191 1,385 2,576

Fire-related Deaths

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many fire related deaths in dwellings in Buckinghamshire there were in 2002.

Nick Raynsford: There were five fire-related deaths in dwellings attended by Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue in 2001–02. Data for 2002 are not yet held centrally.

Firefighters' Strike (Iraq)

William Cash: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement in relation to the Iraq crisis on the basis of his policy on the firefighters' strike and the safety of the public.

Nick Raynsford: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister made a written ministerial statement concerning the firefighters' dispute and emergency fire cover on the 25 March 2003. He announced that the armed forces personnel deployed on firefighting duties have been stood down on the grounds that no further strike dates will be announced before the Fire Brigades Union re-called conference on 15 April. The Fire Brigades Union would then be required to give seven days notice of any further strike.
	The armed forces role during strike periods has been and will continue to be to provide emergency cover, thus seeking to save lives and ensuring that essential services are maintained. Emergency cover will, as far as possible, be maintained for as long as strikes continue and balanced with other demands on military resources, such as current military action in Iraq.

IND 2000 Review

Iain Coleman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to publish his review of the IND 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Roche: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement given on 24 March 2003, Official Report, column 4 WS.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will issue guidance and advice to local authorities on changes in the rules on part-time employees in the Local Government Pension Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: Regulatory changes are envisaged to give part-time employees backdated membership where they were unlawfully denied access to the scheme. This follows the House of Lords' judgement and reference to the European Court of Justice and subsequent test case hearings by the Employment Tribunal. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is discussing with representatives of local authority employers and trade unions the form and content of these changes and in due course, will issue advice and guidance to all the interested parties.

Neighbourhood Renewal Fund

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what projects (a) are being funded and (b) will be funded in the next year in the East Worthing and Shoreham constituency as a result of the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Barbara Roche: There are no projects currently being funded in the East Worthing and Shoreham area under the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund as it is not in one of the 88 eligible areas. There will also be no funding available to this area under the Fund for the 2003–04 financial year.

Regional Assemblies

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister under what statutory powers regional assemblies can act in regional matters.

Nick Raynsford: The voluntary regional chambers, which all now call themselves regional assemblies, do not have any statutory powers. However, the Government has designated the chamber in each region, under section 8 of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998, as a representative regional body. They work with the Regional Development Agency, commenting on its Regional Economic Strategy and scrutinising the delivery of that strategy.
	Five of eight regional assemblies already act as Regional Planning Bodies, and it is the Government's intention to extend this to the remaining three. The Government also supports the role of the assemblies in promoting the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of their region.

Starter Homes

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people in the Buckingham constituency have purchased houses under the Starter Home Initiative.

Tony McNulty: As at the end of February 2003, 39 key workers in Buckinghamshire have been helped to purchase houses under the Starter Home Initiative. Figures broken down by local authority are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Local authority Number of key workers assisted 
		
		
			 Aylesbury Vale 13 
			 Chiltern 8 
			 Milton Keynes 1 
			 South Buckinghamshire 3 
			 Wycombe 14 
			   
			 Total 39

Utility Companies (Pipe Laying)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what (a) planning and (b) other restrictions apply to utility companies seeking to lay pipes under bridges.

Tony McNulty: Statutory undertakers have certain permitted development rights set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (SI 1995/418) ("the GPDO") that enable them to carry out development for the purposes of their undertaking without the need to make a planning application. Parts 15, 16 and 17 of Schedule 2 (development by the Environment Agency, sewerage undertakers and statutory undertakers) are likely to be relevant. These permissions generally do not permit the installation of pipes above ground, and they are subject to exceptions and conditions. Any development that goes beyond what is permitted by the GPDO requires planning permission. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not aware of specific restrictions that apply to the laying of pipes under bridges. Under the New Roads and Street Works Act there is a notification procedure between the statutory undertaker and the highways authority that deals with proposed works under the bridges.

TREASURY

Administration Costs

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria HM Treasury used to define administration costs as set out in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: Table 5.1 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses sets out gross spending on administration by those central government departments which are subject to administration cost controls.
	Administration cost controls apply to all central government departments except the Ministry of Defence, the Export Credits Guarantee Department and the Forestry Commission. Most Executive Agencies are included in the regime, but trading funds and most non-departmental public bodies are excluded. Administration cost controls cover the costs of all central government administration other than the costs of some direct frontline service activities and support activities that are directly associated with these.

Civil Service Pensions

James Purnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the annual cost of in-service death benefits if they were extended to unmarried partners, in accordance with the definitions for the new Civil Service Pension Scheme, but with those costs borne by the Exchequer rather than by the members of the scheme, for (a) the financial year 2003–04 and (b) each of the 10 subsequent years at 2003–04 prices for (i) the whole of the public sector, (ii) the Teachers' Pensions Scheme, (iii) the NHS Pension Scheme, (iv) the Local Government Pension Scheme, (v) the Firemen's Pension Scheme, (vi) the Police Pension Scheme and (vii) the Armed Forces Pension Scheme;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the costs arising from the future service of current members if in-service death benefits were extended to unmarried partners, in accordance with the definitions for the new Civil Service Pension but with those costs borne by the Exchequer rather than by the members of the scheme, at 2003–04 prices for (a) the whole of the public sector, (b) the Teachers' Pensions Scheme, (c) the NHS Pension Scheme, (d) the Local Government Scheme, (e) the Firemen's Pension Scheme, (f) the Police Pension Scheme and (g) the Armed Forces Pension Scheme.

Paul Boateng: The costs to public service pension schemes of making changes to benefits for future service are normally assessed by estimating the percentage points of pay which would need to be added to contribution rates on an on-going basis from the date of the change to cover the long run costs which the change would impose on the scheme. The Government's policy is that the introduction of entitlement to survivor pensions for unmarried partners in public service pension schemes should be covered by members of schemes who want the change to be made. But the same estimates of additional percentage points of pay to be made in contributions would apply to employer contributions if the costs were to be met by employers. The figures provided by the Government Actuary are given in the following table. In the schemes where the Exchequer provides the benefits, which are unfunded schemes, the annual net cash cost to the Exchequer would build gradually over a number of years before reaching a steady state. The Government Actuary has not made estimates of the profile of this build-up. In the pension schemes where local authorities provide the benefits (Local Government Pension Scheme, Police Pension Scheme and Fire Pension Scheme in the table below) the costs of benefit improvements financed by employers would fall to Council Tax payers rather than the Exchequer.
	No estimates are available for the total public sector, as this would need to include a number of non-statutory pension schemes in the wider public sector on which data is not held centrally. The figures in the following table cover all survivor pensions including those where the death of the scheme member occurred after they had left active service; separate estimates identifying survivor pensions following death-in-service are not available. The table includes costings for making married partner survivor pensions payable for life (instead of ceasing on remarriage of the survivor) as this is conventionally assumed to be a change which should be associated with the introduction of unmarried partner survivor pensions for life, as in the new Civil Service Pension Scheme. The costs of making the benefit changes retrospective to cover the past service of active members at the date of the change are shown as the capitalised one-off additions to scheme liabilities which the Government Actuary estimates that this would create.
	
		
			 Scheme Additional contribution for future service (percentage pay) Unmarried partners Cash equivalent of additional contribution (2003–04 prices)(£ million) Capitalised cost for past service of current active members(£ million) Lifetime survivor pensions—additional contribution for future service (percentage pay) Lifetime survivor pensions— cash equivalent of additional contribution (2003–04 prices) (£ million) Lifetime survivor pensions— capitalised cost for past service of current active members(£ million) 
		
		
			 Teachers 0.3 50 500 0.1 20 200 
			 NHS 0.3 50 500 0.2 40 400 
			 Local government 0.3 70 700 (6)— (6)— (6)— 
			 Fire Service 0.5 5 50 0.2 2 20 
			 Police 0.5 20 200 0.2 10 100 
			 Armed forces 0.4 15 160 0.2 8 80 
		
	
	(6) Lifetime spouses' pensions were introduced in the Local Government Pension Scheme with effect from 1998.

Customs and Excise

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the benefit of joint industry and Government initiatives, including Commercial Awareness Training for HM Customs and Excise officers in targeting illegal imports.

John Healey: Commercial Awareness Training for Customs and Excise staff is designed to ensure that Customs understand their role in helping businesses, and to help businesses to be compliant. A foundation level guided learning package has been written with the assistance of representatives of businesses affected by Customs' work, and two pilot training courses have been held which were jointly designed, developed and delivered with them. It is planned to make this training available to Customs staff nationally later this year, once the pilot courses have been fully evaluated.

European Working Groups

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

Ruth Kelly: The Government has long been committed to greater openness in the ED Institutions. This was a key theme of the UK Presidencies in 1992 and 1998. Making it easier to gain access to non-sensitive documents is crucial to this. The Government welcomed Regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. As a result, more documents are released to the public, while genuinely sensitive documents are given the protection they need.
	Much of the Council's work takes place in preparatory bodies, including working groups. Published reports on the work under consideration by the Economic Policy Committee, and its various working groups are available on the committee's website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy finance/epc en.htm. The items currently under consideration by the Economic and Financial Committee are those to be discussed in the coming months by the ECOFIN Council, when they are subject to normal parliamentary scrutiny.
	Other bodies such as the High Level Tax Group, the Financial Services Committee and the Budget Committee report to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) and the Economic and Financial Committee and their outputs go through the ECOFIN Council.
	Accountability and transparency of council business to Parliament are ensured by the scrutiny process, to which the Government is also firmly committed.
	We strongly supported the measures agreed at the Seville European Council to make the Council more open when in legislating mode. We remain committed to increasing transparency. For the first time at ECOFIN, there was a televised session for the final stages of reaching political agreement on a legislative procedure—the Prospectus Directive in November 2002. The Future of Europe Convention is also looking at ways to make the EU more open.

Iraq

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what request he has received for additional funding from the Ministry of Defence further to his commitment of £1.7 billion to meet the costs of military action in Iraq;
	(2)  what contingencies HM Treasury has put in place to fund the current conflict in Iraq;
	(3)  what research he has commissioned and what assessment his Department has made as to the cost of British involvement in Iraq for (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years, (d) four years and (e) five years or over;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the cost to HM Treasury per man per day of the current conflict in Iraq.

Paul Boateng: A contingency reserve of £1.75 billion was set aside to meet the cost of security and military preparations. Now that UK armed forces are in action in Iraq the Chancellor has announced a further £1.25 billion to increase the special reserves to £3 billion, to be drawn on as necessary. It is too early to make an assessment of the final costs of our involvement in Iraq. The Treasury does not estimate costs for such operations in the manner requested.

Iraq

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with (a) other European states, (b) the United States of America and (c) other coalition countries about the funding of the current conflict with Iraq.

Paul Boateng: The Government have been in discussions with European states, the United States of America and other coalition countries on a wide range of issues regarding the present situation in Iraq.

Landfill Tax Credit

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Treasury has spent on consultations regarding changes to the Landfill Tax Credit scheme.

John Healey: The information is not available in the format requested. HM Treasury and Defra published a joint consultation on the Landfill Tax Credit scheme last year. A number of officials in both Departments worked on the consultation which generated 700 responses. These were all given careful consideration in assessing policy options and informing the Government's decisions.
	The document was made available on both HM Treasury and Defra websites, and the cost of publishing the consultation was minimal.

Pension Projections

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of differences between the pension projection basis provided by the Financial Services Authority and the Department for Work and Pensions (a) to new businesses and (b) in annual forecasts.

Ruth Kelly: I understand that the Financial Services Authority (FSA) have undertaken an analysis of the pension projection basis set by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for Statutory Money Purchase Illustrations (SMPIs).
	Following consultation in April 2002, the FSA decided that the assumptions, including mortality rates, annuity interest rates, and other data, used by firms to compile point of sale projections should be amended to bring them into line with the DWP basis.
	SMPIs will be in real value terms, while projections at the point of sale, which are governed by FSA rules, are in monetary terms, although firms have the option to show real value figures. The FSA are currently consulting on a new disclosure regime. This proposes SMPI based projections should be mandatory at the point of sale.

PFI/PPP Contracts

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what heading of public expenditure in departmental accounts the management of PFI and PPP contracts is defined.

Paul Boateng: To the extent that government departments incur costs in the management of PFI and PPP contracts, these would be included within the heading of 'Administration costs' and charged to the department's Operating Cost Statement.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has undertaken regulatory impact assessments on (a) changes to stamp duty levels, (b) capital gains tax taper relief, (c) changes to charities taxation in the Finance Act 2000 and (d) changes to the VAT regime for energy saving goods in the Finance Act 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) has been required since August 1998 where proposals for legislative changes may have more than a negligible impact on the compliance costs of business, charities or voluntary bodies.
	(a) No RIA has been made of the changes to stamp duty levels since 1998 as an increase in rates has a negligible impact on compliance costs.
	(b) Changes to capital gains tax taper relief made after August 1998 were expected to have a negligible regulatory impact so no RIA has been made.
	(c) A RIA on the FA 2000 charity changes was published on 21 March 2000 and a copy was placed in the House of Commons Library.
	(d) A RIA was carried out on the changes made to the VAT regime for energy-saving goods in the Finance Act 2000. This is available in the House of Commons Library (RIA: 00/109).

Self-assessment

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of income tax due that is collected per self-assessment tax payer, in the latest year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's accounting year for tax runs to the end of October each year.
	In the account year to the end of October 2002, the Revenue collected £23.2 billion out of £24.5 billion self-assessment income tax due. On average, that amounts to collecting £94.7 per cent. of the tax due for each self-assessment taxpayer who has sent in a return. Further amounts will have been collected after the end of the accounting period.

Smoking Survey

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has set a date for the publication of the Office of National Statistics survey on smoking behaviour and attitudes.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Chris Grayling, dated 2 April 2003
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the publication date of the Office for National Statistics survey on smoking behaviour and attitudes.
	The report is planned for publication on Thursday, 3 July 2003.

Student Debt

Tim Boswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the taxability of employers' contributions to the write-off of student debt in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector.

Dawn Primarolo: An employee is taxable on the amount of student debt which his employer pays on his behalf. The tax rules are the same for employees and employers generally, whether in the public or private sector.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the delay in processing claims for the working tax credit; how many claims (a) have been submitted and (b) are awaiting processing; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 24 March 2003, Official Report, column 65W, on tax credits, how many forms have been processed; how many awards of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit have been calculated from forms received; and how many awards he expects to have been calculated in time for the launch of the new tax credits in April.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answers 27 and 28 March 2003
	There is a single form covering claims to both working tax credit and child tax credit. By 28 February 2003, over 3 million claims had been received (including 334,000 on-line). Where people have claimed in good time, they have answered all the questions on the form and there are no outstanding queries they should have their award set up in time for their first payment in April.

Telephone Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 7 February, Official Report, column 483W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to helplines charged at national rate in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by each telephone number; and what the average duration of the calls was.

John Healey: The information in respect of the Office for National Statistics is as follows:
	
		
			 Helpline Telephone number Number of calls Average Duration of call 
		
		
			 Labour Market Division 0207 533 6094 3,040 unknown 
			 IDBR Helpdesk 01633 813229 120 3 minutes 
			 IDBR Analysis service 01633 812293 204 7 minutes 
			 Standard Industrial Classification 01633 812999 4,200 5 minutes 
			 Census Customer Services 01329 813800 6,900 unknown 
			 RPI helpline (recorded message) 020 7533 5866 14,042  
			 RPI helpline manned 020 7533 5874 14,710 5 minutes 
			 ONS Geography 01329 813477 721 unknown 
		
	
	The information relating to HM Customs and Excise and the Royal Mint is not available.
	As my earlier answer made clear, none of the Chancellor's other Departments and agencies has telephone helplines charged at the national rate.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals are estimated to be eligible in 2003–04 for (a) pension credit, (b) housing benefit, (c) council tax benefit, (d) child tax credit, (e) working tax credit, (f) income support and (g) income-based jobseeker's allowance.

Malcolm Wicks: Six million families in the United Kingdom are expected to benefit from the new tax credits in 2003–04. However, information on the number of individuals eligible for working tax credit and child tax credit is not available.
	The number of individuals estimated to be eligible for pension credit is 4.9 million (3.8 million pensioner households). We have set a PSA target to ensure that at least 3 million households are in receipt of pension credit by 2006. We expect to have made good progress towards this target by October 2004, when we aim to have 2.8 million households in receipt of pension credit.
	The available information on existing benefits is in the table.
	
		Estimated numbers of individuals eligible for benefit in 2003–04
		
			 Benefit Eligible individuals (million) 
		
		
			 Housing benefit 5.1 
			 Council tax benefit 8.1 
			 Income support 3.0 
			 Jobseeker's allowance (income based) 1.1 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Individuals are defined as single adults, or both adult partners in a couple, children and non dependent adults are not included in the estimated eligible case load.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100,000.
	Sources:
	1. Benefit forecasts—based on PBR 2002 forecasts and take-up estimates from the DWP report "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-up in 1999/2000".
	2. Pension credit forecasts—from DWP Policy Simulation Model.

Benefits

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate for 2000–01 (a) income support take-up, (b) minimum income guarantee take-up, (c) housing benefit take-up and (d) council tax benefit take-up, broken down by region.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available. The processes involved in producing take-up statistics are complex and national estimates cannot be routinely disaggregated by region.
	The latest take-up statistics covering income related benefits are contained in the DWP report "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2000/2001", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Benefits

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has set a target for the number of benefit transactions currently paid in cash to be paid (a) into a current account, (b) into a basic bank account and (c) into a Post Office card account.

Malcolm Wicks: No target has been set for each individual account option: current bank account, basic bank account, and the Post Office card account. Customers will be supplied with information which clearly sets out their account options and will enable them to choose the account that best meets their needs and circumstances. The take-up of each account option will be dependant on a variety of factors, including the number of people receiving a benefit or pension and customers' behaviour.
	The Post Office card account is now up and running and the main banks are making their basic bank accounts available at Post Office branches. Universal banking services has, therefore, been introduced as planned and on time. This represents a very considerable effort and achievement by the Post Office, banks and other parties concerned.
	In line with sound principles for managing risks when introducing major projects, we will be increasing the numbers of Post Office card accounts very gradually so that we can ensure the new systems are robust. I will provide the House with regular updates on progress.

Benefits

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to identify the number of people in the East Riding of Yorkshire who are of a pensionable age who are not accessing benefits to which they are entitled.

Ian McCartney: We want as many pensioners as possible to take up their entitlement in the East Riding of Yorkshire and across the country. The creation of The Pension Service provides an ideal opportunity to further encourage pensioners to take up their entitlements. We now have a Pension Service local service active throughout England, Scotland and Wales meeting customers in their local community. Not only are our customers being encouraged to claim when they ring their pension centre but local service teams run both appointment and drop in surgeries giving advice and actively encouraging take-up of entitlements.
	There is a local service team of 18 staff covering the East Riding of Yorkshire area, dealing with both pensioners and pre-pensioners. The team is currently establishing services in partnership with local organisations. Some examples of this activity include:
	a) Bridlington Spa—Over 50s WorkFayre, used for an event in partnership with East Riding council under the auspices of the European Social Fund.
	b) Kirby House, Driffield—drop-in surgery location used to talk to members of Railway Housing Trust.
	c) Hull and East Riding Institute for the Blind—several drop-in surgeries to various members of the group plus participation in a Low Vision Exhibition.
	d) Gregson Court, Hornsea—drop-in surgery for residents of local sheltered accommodation group.

Benefits

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were claiming (a) unemployment-related and (b) sickness-related benefits in each (i) local authority and (ii) parliamentary constituency in Wales in January.

Malcolm Wicks: For the latest available information on the number of people claiming sickness related benefits I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 February 2003, Official Report, columns 491–92W.
	Information of the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in January is in the table.
	
		
			  Number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance January 2003 
		
		
			 Unitary Authority  
			 Total Wales 50,500 
			 Anglesey, Isle of 1,700 
			 Blaenau Gwent 1,800 
			 Bridgend 2,000 
			 Caerphilly 3,200 
			 Cardiff 5,900 
			 Carmarthenshire 2,700 
			 Ceredigion 1,000 
			 Conwy 1,700 
			 Denbighshire 1,400 
			 Flintshire 1,900 
			 Gwynedd 2,500 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 1,200 
			 Monmouthshire 900 
			 Neath Port Talbot 2,600 
			 Newport 2,800 
			 Pembrokeshire 2,600 
			 Powys 1,300 
			 Rhondda, Cynon, Taff 3,700 
			 Swansea 4,100 
			 The Vale of Glamorgan 2,100 
			 Torfaen 1,500 
			 Wrexham 1,800 
			   
			 Parliamentary Constituency  
			 Total Wales 50,500 
			 Aberavon 1,200 
			 Alyn and Deeside 1,100 
			 Blaenau Gwent 1,800 
			 Brecon and Radnorshire 800 
			 Bridgend 1,200 
			 Caernarvon 1,300 
			 Caerphilly 1,800 
			 Cardiff Central 1,500 
			 Cardiff North 700 
			 Cardiff South and Penarth 2,200 
			 Cardiff West 1,800 
			 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 900 
			 Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire 1,400 
			 Ceredigion 1,000 
			 Clwyd South 1,000 
			 Clwyd West 1,000 
			 Conwy 1,300 
			 Cynon Valley 1,100 
			 Delyn 800 
			 Gower 1,000 
			 Islwyn 1,100 
			 Llanelli 1,400 
			 Meirionnydd Nant Conwy 800 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 1,600 
			 Monmouth 800 
			 Montgomeryshire 500 
			 Neath 1,400 
			 Newport East 1,300 
			 Newport West 1,700 
			 Ogmore 1,100 
			 Pontypridd 1,200 
			 Preseli Pembrokeshire 1,600 
			 Rhondda 1,300 
			 Swansea East 1,600 
			 Swansea West 1,600 
			 Torfaen 1,400 
			 Vale of Clwyd 1,200 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 1,700 
			 Wrexham 1,000 
			 Ynys Mon 1,700 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Figures are seasonally unadjusted (seasonally adjusted figures are not available for Local Authorities and Parliamentary Constituencies). Comparisons of different months in the year will be affected by seasonally and are not therefore a guide to trend.
	Source
	Count of claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (including clerically held cases).

Benefits (Scotland)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the population in Scotland were in receipt of means tested benefits in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the tables.
	The latest data available for all income related benefits is May 2001. Please note that figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
	
		Table 1
		
			  All 60 or over Under 60 
		
		
			 May 1997: All income related benefits (including FC and DWA)(7)
			 Adult beneficiaries (Thousand) 940,000 400,000 540,000 
			 Percentage of relevant population n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	(7) Income related benefits are IS, JSA (IB), HB, CTB, FC and DWA excluding all overlaps between benefits.
	
		Table 2
		
			  All 60 or over Under 60 
		
		
			 May 1997: Income related benefits (excluding FC and DWA)(8)
			 Adult beneficiaries (Thousand) 900,000 400,000 500,000 
			 Percentage of relevant population n/a n/a n/a 
			 
			 May 2001: Income related benefits(8)
			 Adult beneficiaries (Thousand) 780,000 360,000 420,000 
			 Percentage of relevant population 19.2 33.7 14.0 
		
	
	(8) Income related benefits are IS, JSA (IB), HB, CTB, excluding all overlaps between benefits.
	For 1997, overlaps with FC and/or DWA have not been considered.
	For 2001, overlaps with Working Families Tax Credit and/or Disabled Persons Tax Credit have not been considered.
	In May 1997: income related benefits were Income Support (IS), Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA (IB)), Housing Benefit (HB), Council Tax Benefit (CTB), Family Credit (FC) and Disability Working Allowance (DWA). However, in October 1999 FC and DWA were replaced as Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Persons Tax Credit. Therefore, as the figures for 2001 will only include IS, JSA (IB), HB and CTB, figures are provided for May 1997 both including and excluding FC and DWA to enable comparisons to be made.
	Notes:
	1. Figures for beneficiaries have been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.
	2. Percentages for May 2001 are derived from the mid-2001 ONS population estimates.
	Source:
	Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, May 1997 and May 2001, 5 per cent. samples.
	Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, May 1997 and May 2001, 5 per cent. samples.
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 1997 and 2001.
	Family Credit Computer System, May 1997, 100 per cent. count of all claims.
	Disability Working Allowance Computer System, May 1997, 5 per cent. sample.

Child Poverty

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of children in poverty in Portsmouth, South in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of children in poverty in (a) Haltemprice and Howden and (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: Poverty is a complex and multi-dimensional problem that affects many aspects of people's lives. We published "Opportunity for all—Fourth Annual Report" (CM 5598) in September 2002, which contains information on a range of indicators of poverty for children and young people. Unfortunately, not all indicators can be broken down to the constituency level due to sample size limitations.
	We expect to publish the preliminary conclusions of our consultation on Measuring Child Poverty in spring 2003.

Child Support Agency

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the implementation of the new Child Support Agency maintenance legislation.

Malcolm Wicks: We began operating the new child support scheme for new cases from 3 March. We intend to report to Parliament of progress when information on trends is available.

Civil Servant Retirement Plans

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total value of benefits paid to retirees in civil servant retirement plans was in each of the last 10 years.

Douglas Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
	The total of pension payments made to retired members (and dependants) of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme for each of the last 10 years is shown as follows.
	
		Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, pensions expenditure, 1992–93 to 2001–02 -- £000
		
			 Year Expenditure 
		
		
			 1992–93 2,067,179 
			 1993–94 2,216,083 
			 1994–95 2,281,541 
			 1995–96 2,412,510 
			 1996–97 2,508,824 
			 1997–98 2,498,527 
			 1998–99 2,547,568 
			 1999–2000 2,642,655 
			 2000–01 2,676,032 
			 2001–02 2,727,787

Civil Servant Retirement Plans

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many retirees there are in public employee (civil servant) retirement plans.

Douglas Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
	The number of members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme are as follows:
	Active members: 527,000
	Deferred members: 263,000
	Retired members (officers): 396,000
	Retired members (widow(er)s): 126,000
	Members in receipt of annual compensation (or other on-going payment) for which former employer is financially responsible: 20,000

Departmental File Stores

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answers to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice), of 3 March 2003, Official Report, columns 878–79W, and 4 March 2003, Official Report, columns 895–96W, on filestores, for what reason the (a) number of staff employed in the Department's filestores and (b) the cost of those stores has increased since 1998–99, with particular reference to the rises prior to the Department's name change.

Ian McCartney: In the answers I gave earlier I explained that separate figures for staffing and costs for most filestores are not available for some or all of the years in the table. The available information included data from just 13 filestores in 1997–98, rising to 62 filestores in 2001–02. The figures for each year are therefore not comparable and there is no evidence that staffing numbers or costs have increased.

Pension Credit

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how he intends to ensure that hard-to-reach pensioners, in particular those being cared for at home by a family member, will receive information to help them to take up the benefits of the Pension Credit.

Ian McCartney: As part of the Pension Credit take up campaign which will be running from April 2003 to June 2004, a specially designed direct mail pack will be issued to carers of pensioners. Targeted Press and TV advertising will also be used to ensure carers are notified of Pension Credit. This is to ensure that everyone aged 60 and over will have the necessary information and support in order to consider an application.
	The Pension Service local service managers will work with partner organisations to advise pensioners about their entitlement. We hope to make full use of local business/community publicity and communications opportunities for Pension Credit to raise and maintain awareness of Pension Credit among pensioners, carers, friends and family.

Pension Credit

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what help he will give those pensioners who (a) feel discouraged from filling in the form and (b) have literacy problems to apply for Pension Credit.

Ian McCartney: People applying for Pension Credit will be encouraged to apply by telephone. In this way staff at dedicated Pension Credit telephone centres will complete the application form for the customer. This telephone service will be backed up by The Pension Service local service, for those customers who are unable to conduct their business by telephone. Local services are also working with their local partner organisations to reach those vulnerable customers who might not take-up their entitlements.
	To support the organisation and ensure that we are prepared and equipped to handle the extra work, we have been recruiting the additional staff needed throughout The Pension Service (telephone service, pension centres and local service), so that we can handle the telephone calls and are able to process the applications.
	Targeted Press and TV advertising will also be used to ensure pensioners, carers, family and friends are aware of Pension Credit. This is to ensure that everyone aged 60 and over will have the necessary information and support in order to consider an application.
	For people with hearing and language difficulties, we will have a text-phone and will be producing large print, Braille, audio and translated versions of Pension Credit general information.

Benefit Fraud

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many suspected cases of (a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit fraud there were in the financial year 2001–02; how many of these led to a prosecution; and how many of these prosecutions were successful.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.
	
		Fraud investigations conducted by local authorities (LAs) 2001–02
		
			  Number 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Cases referred to the LA fraud/investigation section for further action 380,000 
			 Cases referred to the LA fraud/investigation section for further action that were investigated 310,000 
			 Cases referred by LAs for prosecution 2,800 
			 Successful prosecutions(9) 1,700 
		
	
	(9) Data from local authority subsidy returns has been used to provide a count of successful local authority prosecutions. This data is returned by all local authorities and is audited. Subsidy data may differ from management information data at local authority level; however, analysis shows a high level of consistency between the two data sources at national level.
	Notes
	1. The data refers to households, which may be a single person or a couple.
	2. Management information data is not available for all local authorities. The figures include estimates for local authorities that have not responded. These estimates are based on historical and regional data. This type of estimate is standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents. The figures have been rounded to 2 significant figures.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit Management Information System Quarterly Administration Returns and local authority subsidy returns

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Education Formula Spending Share

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the 2003–04 Education Formula Spending Share funding each local education authority is passported directly to its schools.

David Miliband: The Education Formula Spending Share is divided into two main funding blocks: one for Schools and one for LEAs. Earlier this spring, the Department carried out an exercise to obtain information on how much of the increase in schools funding had been passported into the Schools budget, which covers all provision for pupils including under-fives education and provision for pupils with special educational needs outside the maintained sector. 124 authorities passed on the increase in funding in full or more. A further six did so when allowance is made for the fact that they are affected by the ceiling for increases in revenue support grant. The remaining authorities did not passport in full. Following intervention by the Secretary of State in two authorities, the amount of funding being passported to their Schools Budgets was increased.
	The division of the Schools Budget between the Individual Schools Budget and centrally retained items is a decision for local education authorities, after consultation with their schools forum. Local education authorities have until 31 March 2003 to submit their actual budgets to the Department for 2003–04.

Education Targets

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimates he has made of how many schools will achieve the target of 85 per cent. of children attaining level 4 at Key Stage Two by 2004.

David Miliband: There is no Public Service Agreement (PSA) target for the number of individual schools achieving 85 per cent. The Spending Review 2000 set a target to increase the percentage of children who achieve level 4 in each of the Key Stage 2 English and maths tests to 85 per cent. This PSA has been rolled forward as part of Spending Review 2002, with a view to sustaining this level of performance to 2006. In the 2002 tests, 75 per cent. of pupils nationally achieved level 4 or above in English and 73 per cent. did so in mathematics.

Enuresis

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the guidance he gives on how teachers should assist children with enuresis.

Stephen Twigg: All schools in England were made aware, in June 2000, of the guidance in the Department of Health's publication "Good Practice in Continence Services" (www.doh.gov.uk/pdfs/continenceservices.pdf). The joint publication by my Department and the Department of Health on "Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs—A Good Practice Guide" (www.teachernet.gov.uk/healthandsafety) gives more general guidance for schools.

Foreign Language Teaching

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 3 March, ref 99605, how many students sat the (a) GCSE and (b) A Level exam in (i) French, (ii) German and (iii) Spanish in each year since 1995.

David Miliband: The number of students who sat French, German and Spanish at GCSE and A level in each year since 1995 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  GCSE A level 
			  French German Spanish French German Spanish 
		
		
			 2002(10) 311,960 124,766 48,502 — — — 
			 2001 321,200 130,623 45,626 14,666 7,343 4,259 
			 2000 313,146 127,437 42,288 14,426 7,142 4,146 
			 1999 311,384 129,765 39,523 16,322 7,828 4,204 
			 1998 307,293 127,374 38,810 18,152 8,233 4,074 
			 1997 306,055 127,510 34,454 19,676 8,315 3,882 
			 1996 315,746 126,233 33,814 21,004 8,589 3,661 
			 1995 316,847 121,259 31,314 20,837 8,379 3,153 
		
	
	(10) 2002 A level figures are not currently available.

Information Technology

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has for an increase in the number of Government-funded training schemes for IT jobs.

Charles Clarke: The Government are currently undertaking a Review of the Funding of Adult Learning. The Review is exploring how to best use Government funded provision to ensure that it meets the business needs of different sectors. The outcome of the Review will be set out in the Government's Skills Strategy to be published in June. Our recent statement "14–19: opportunity and excellence" announced the introduction (from 2004–05 onwards) of an entitlement for all young people to continue studying up to age 19 until they reach the standard of a good GCSE or the corresponding Level 2 key skill qualification in IT skills.
	The Government are supporting the teaching and development of the skills required for IT jobs in a variety of ways, including a wide range of further education provision and specific Modern Apprenticeships. We are seeking to put employers at the heart of meeting skill needs through the establishment of Sector Skills Councils (SSCs). The new bodies will help to ensure that government funded learning opportunities meet particular sectoral needs. A recent joint initiative of Jobcentre Plus and the National Employment Panel has been the Ambition programme designed to engage industry expertise in the design of demand-led programmes to get unemployed and disadvantaged jobseekers into good jobs that pay well and have real career potential. Participants in the Ambition: IT programme train for work primarily in the areas of systems support and software development.

National Grid for Learning

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much National Grid for Learning funding has been granted to schools in the Buckingham constituency in 2002–03.

Charles Clarke: National Grid for Learning funding is allocated to local education authorities and information is not kept on a constituency basis. In 2002–03 schools in Buckinghamshire LEA have benefited from a total allocation of £2,852,279 (including LEA match funding).
	Buckinghamshire LEA was also allocated £794,205 (including LEA match funding) to provide high speed broadband connectivity to schools within the LEA through their membership of the South East Grid for Learning.

Senior Civil Servants

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the turnover of senior civil servants within his Department.

Stephen Twigg: My Department seeks to ensure a turnover of senior civil servants which is consistent with bringing in a diverse range of skills and talent, developing and refreshing the senior management group, and delivering our business.
	The overall turnover of senior civil servants in posts funded by the Department for Education and Skills, and the former Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) for each of the years from 2000 to 2002 was:
	
		
			  2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Entrants 28 22 20 
			 Leavers 21 22 7

Special Educational Needs

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the system of education grant distribution in recognising the additional costs associated with educational provision for children with special needs;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the extent to which additional financial support provided to (a) local authorities and (b) primary and secondary schools reflects the costs of providing for children recognised as being on the autistic spectrum.

David Miliband: The new system for distributing education grant is known as Education Formula Spending Shares. The distribution formula recognises the additional costs associated with educational provision for children with special needs in two ways. Firstly there is an uplift of £1,300 in the under five, primary and secondary formulae for pupils with additional educational needs. This draws on evidence from research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (a copy has been placed in the Library) on the costs schools face for pupils with additional educational needs. Secondly, there is a separate funding block recognising the costs associated with provision for high need pupils. This uses a formula to estimate how many children in each authority have very high costs, using measures of the proportions of children with parents on income support and of low birth weight, and distributes £6,801 per high cost pupil. This figure is based on historical evidence of what local educational authorities spend on average on such pupils.
	The additional financial support provided to primary and secondary schools for children in general with special needs and in particular for those on the autistic spectrum is for local education authorities to decide: many have factors in their local formulae for such provision.

Teachers' Pensions

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the additional cost is to each local education authority of the increase in employers' contributions to the Teachers' Pension Scheme announced on 13 March in the (a) financial year 2003–04 and (b) school year 2003–04.

David Miliband: It will not be possible to calculate the additional cost of the increase in employers' contributions to the Teachers' Pension Scheme for each local education authority for 2003–04 until we have analysed the contributions data for March and April 2003.
	Nationally, a total of £650 million has been transferred into Education Formula Spending to meet the costs of the 4.75 per cent. increase in employers' contribution that arises from the inclusion of the costs of pensions increase on the scheme. This comprises a baseline adjustment to the Education Formula Spending total of £586 million; £20 million to meet the additional costs of Threshold grant payments; and a £44 million transfer to the Learning and Skills Council in respect of sixth forms.

WALES

Administrative Costs

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what have been the administrative costs of the Wales Office as a percentage of total spending since 1999.

Peter Hain: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  (1) staff and other administration costs £000 (2) Programme expenditure £000 (3) Column (1) as percentage of column (2) 
		
		
			 1 July 1999 to31 March 2000 1,482 5,036,528 0.03 
			 2000–01 3,039 7,118,193 0.04 
			 2001–02 2,911 7,964,573 0.04

Bilateral Concordants

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many bilateral concordants have been concluded since April 2002.

Peter Hain: My Department has entered into no new bilateral concordants over this period.

Civil Contingency Planning

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his Department's (a) responsibilities and (b) assets with regard to civil contingency planning; what funds are committed; what action he is taking within his Department to improve such planning; and what action he is taking in collaboration with other departments.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer he received from the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, on 21 March 2003, Official Report, column 958W, which explains the cross-Government arrangements for civil contingency planning. Detailed plans for Wales are the responsibility of the lead Department (which will be the National Assembly for Wales in respect of transferred functions). My Department works with both the Civil Contingencies Secretariat and the Assembly to facilitate this process.

Commercial Confidentiality

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance his Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential.

Peter Hain: Release of information by my Department is covered by the Open Government Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Second Edition 1997). While each request must be considered on its merits, Part 2 of that Code sets out the exemptions from the right of access. Some of these exemptions relate to categories of information regarded as confidential, examples include the privacy of an individual, third party commercial confidences, and information given in confidence. Decisions to provide or refuse access to such information are subject to a public interest test.

Departmental Website

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total cost of his Department's website was in the last 12 months; and how many hits it received in the same period.

Peter Hain: For the period 1 September 2002– 31 August 2003, the Wales Office was invoiced £1,600 for running of the departmental website.
	Over the last 12 months, March 2002-February 2003, the Wales Office website has received 563,219 hits and 267,177 page impressions.

PFI Schemes

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the Private Finance Initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

Peter Hain: My Department has no PFI schemes due to become operational in 2003.

Rail Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with (a) train operating companies, (b) the Strategic Rail Authority and (c) ministerial colleagues on the removal of certain rail services between Wales and London.

Peter Hain: I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues on a range of subjects including transport issues. I have recently met with the SRA and Wales and Borders Railways and discussed train services to and within Wales.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in joint working between Thales and BAE Systems on the aircraft carriers order.

Adam Ingram: Our discussions with BAE Systems and Thales to determine the structure of the Alliance for the Future Aircraft Carrier programme are continuing. During the course of those discussions, BAE Systems and Thales have been working together extensively and design activity has continued in parallel. We expect to be in a position to commence formal joint working on the next phase of assessment shortly. Subject to the normal internal approvals, we remain on course to award the main build contract for the carriers in the spring of 2004.

Armed Forces (Postage)

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the weight limit was prior to the recent change of the weight limit for free postage for British armed forces to two kilograms; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the change.

Adam Ingram: There is no free postage to United Kingdom armed forces personnel other than Forces Free Air Letters ("blueys") and the electronic equivalent, the e-bluey, which are available to authorised BFPO numbers, including all those in the Gulf.

Armed Forces (Postage)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to raise the two kilogram weight limit on packages that may be sent free of charge to the armed forces personnel in the Gulf.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 1 April 2003
	There is no free postage to United Kingdom armed forces personnel other than Forces Free Air Letters ("blueys") and the electronic equivalent, the e-bluey, which are available to authorised BFPO numbers, including all those in the Gulf. I also refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 31 March 2003, Official Report, column 651, to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) and Official Report, column 661, to the right hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay).

Armed Forces Documentation

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide members of HM armed forces serving in the Gulf with documentation to enable them to authorise a family member or other person to act for them in transactions relating to (a) car licensing, (b) insurance, (c) housing payments and (d) payments to utilities.

Adam Ingram: Personnel are briefed prior to deployment on the need to make suitable arrangements to cover these sorts of eventualities during their period of absence. They are reminded that these are private matters for which they are responsible. The armed forces have not previously found it necessary to provide their deploying personnel with documentation advising them how to grant power of attorney to a family member. Families encountering specific difficulties are encouraged to seek assistance from Unit Welfare Officers.

Commercial Confidentiality

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance his Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential.

Lewis Moonie: When information is marked as commercially sensitive it is treated as such and protected and managed in accordance with the relevant security guidelines, any contract conditions and other departmental processes. The need to verify any claim of commercial confidentiality will generally arise only when considering whether the information should be disclosed to a third party. Ministry of Defence guidance requires officials to comply with the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information in deciding whether to disclose information. Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice relates to a third party's commercial confidences. In deciding whether or not to withhold information, officials must consider whether "unwarranted disclosure would harm the competitive position of a third party". While the decision ultimately rests with MOD, the third party whose interests may be adversely affected will normally be consulted. Even where, prima facie, the Exemption applies, the Code of Practice says that information should be disclosed if there is an overriding public interest in doing so and no statutory restriction or legal obligation to prevent this.

Department Catering Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by the Department in 2002.

Lewis Moonie: This information is not held centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Events

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in the last 12 months, broken down by title, purpose, date and cost.

Lewis Moonie: This information is not held centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I regret I am therefore unable to provide a substantive answer under the terms of Exemption 9 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Depleted Uranium

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the United Nations Environment Programme study of Depleted Uranium in Bosnia published on 25 March.

Adam Ingram: I welcome this report which adds to the body of evidence on the environmental effects of Depleted Uranium (DU) ammunition. Officials have made a preliminary assessment of the main body of the report including the conclusions and recommendations. The findings of this study are consistent with previous United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) studies in Kosovo (2001) and in Serbia and Montenegro (2002). We note the UNEP assessment that the recorded contamination levels are very low and do not present immediate radioactive or toxic risks for the environment or human health. We note also that anecdotal reports of rises in cancers in the Balkans were not substantiated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as part of this project. UNEP say that,
	"WHO concludes that, due to the lack of a proper cancer registry and reporting system, claims of an increase in the rates of adverse health effects stemming from DU cannot be substantiated. The existing scientific data on Uranium and DU health effects indicate that it is highly unlikely that DU could be associated with any of the reported health problems".
	We have stated previously that any DU contamination will be limited and localised and that actions to reduce any potential intakes will only be necessary in some extreme cases, and we note the findings of this report are consistent with that view. Specifically, the report concludes that DU contamination occurs at low levels, detectable with radiation monitors up to two metres around an impact at the surface, but also detectable in laboratory chemical analysis of soil up to 200 metres away in some cases. The report states that
	"the corresponding radiological and toxicological risks from such low-level contamination are insignificant."
	Where Depleted Uranium has been detected in air and water, it has still been within normal levels of naturally occurring Uranium. The concentrations are described as very low and the resulting radiation doses insignificant. The report recommends that further work is carried out on the corrosion and dispersion of DU in the soil and possible subsequent uptake by groundwater. The Ministry of Defence's independent research programme on DU, announced in March 2002, already includes such work.
	We support the view that sensible pragmatic precautions should be taken to protect the civil population in areas where armed conflicts occurred and that these precautions should address all potential hazards. In particular UNEP has drawn attention to the fact that past ammunition production and current ammunition destruction activities have produced surface concentrations of heavy metals above levels at which precautions should be taken. The report also draws attention to the fact that industrial radiation sources present a greater health risk than DU contamination. UNEP makes recommendations to raise awareness, train personnel in decontamination, strengthen the radiation safety infrastructure and to investigate health claims. This will be achieved initially by improving data capture of health statistics, particularly with regard to cancer registration and to improving knowledge of basic epidemiology and interpretation of clinical findings in clinical staff. We support these recommendations. The press release on the UNEP website gives a good summary of the findings.

Gurkhas

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the (a) pay, (b) pension and (c) service conditions of Gurkhas serving with British defence forces; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Since 1 October 2002, we have received representation from six hon. Members about Gurkha pensions and 11 hon. Members about Gurkha conditions of service more generally. We have also received enquiries from 25 members of the public and a petition of 445 signatures which seeks enhancements to Gurkha pension arrangements.
	Gurkha terms and conditions of service are unique and reflect the status of Gurkhas as Nepalese citizens, recruited and discharged in Nepal. In a recent High Court ruling, Gurkha pay and pensions arrangements were judged to be fair and non-discriminatory. Inter alia, the Court noted that Gurkha remuneration is broadly in line with the pay of British personnel and that Gurkha pensions, available after only 15 years of service, compare favourably with professional salaries in Nepal. Although claims relating to Gurkha accompanied service provisions were also dismissed, we recognise that the current arrangements are a cause for concern and are therefore studying these aspects of the ruling very carefully.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what depleted uranium munitions have been used by coalition forces in Iraq; and what steps are being taken to clean up the toxic and radiological pollution arising from their use.

Adam Ingram: At this stage in the conflict, we are unable to give precise details of what depleted uranium (DU) munitions have been used by coalition forces in Iraq. The British Army's Challenger II tanks have been firing their 120 mm DU anti-tank rounds, but I am unable to comment on DU munitions belonging to United States forces.
	It is not feasible to clean up DU residue in the midst of a war zone. The post-conflict administrators of Iraq will be responsible for monitoring DU levels in the environment, and cordoning off and decontaminating sites of penetrator impacts. The United Kingdom has a long tradition of providing practical and financial help in such situations.

Iraq

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK nationals are suspected to be fighting for Iraqi armed forces, terrorist groups or militias; how many UK nationals have recently been captured or detained in Iraq and are suspected of being a member of the Iraqi armed forces terrorist groups or militias; whether those captured or detained are being held as prisoners of war; whether they will face criminal charges under UK law; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 31 March 2003
	I can confirm that as of today, contrary to media reports, we have no record of any United Kingdom nationals having been detained as Prisoners of War by coalition forces. Captured members of the Iraqi armed forces will be treated as Prisoners of War. Should this include British nationals, such persons will also be afforded proper protection under the Geneva Conventions.
	The Ministry of Defence is not in a position to make an assessment of the numbers of United Kingdom nationals that may be fighting for Iraqi armed forces, terrorist groups or militias.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place daily in the Library transcripts of press briefings by Coalition commanders at Centcom Media Centre in Qatar on the invasion of Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister of State gave on 5 March 2003, Official Report, column 1043W, to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin). A copy of daily press briefings by Coalition commanders at the Centcom media centre in Qatar can be viewed on the Ministry of Defence website www.operations.mod.uk/telic/statements.htm.

Iraq Casualties

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the number of (a) civilian and (b) military lives lost in the conflict in Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the coalition's strategy to avoid civilian casualties.

Adam Ingram: We have no means of ascertaining the numbers of military or civilian lives lost during the conflict in Iraq to date, although we make every effort to keep any impact upon the Iraqi civilian population to an absolute minimum. All our military planning is conducted in full accordance with our obligations under international law to employ the minimum necessary use of force to achieve military effect, and to avoid injury to non-combatants or civilian infrastructure. Practically, this is achieved through a combination of an extremely careful targeting process and highly accurate precision guided weapons.

Military Equipment

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many Exocet missiles were found by coalition forces in the last Gulf War;
	(2)  what military equipment manufactured in France, other than missiles, was found in Iraq at the end of the last Gulf War.

Adam Ingram: Detailed information of equipment found by coalition forces in the last Gulf War is not held centrally by the Ministry of Defence and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

MOD Land

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list Ministry of Defence sites in the South East of England that were classed as (a) common land and (b) manorial waste prior to their acquisition by the MOD in the last 30 years.

Lewis Moonie: Departmental records for the South East (SE) are currently being searched to extract the information requested. The geographical area handled by Defence Estates' SE Region covers Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, North Hampshire, Surrey, West and East Sussex, Kent and Greater London. There are potentially 10,000 records/deeds that need to be investigated by Records staff, based at Aldershot and Canterbury.
	Once the search has been completed I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Pension Schemes

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) funded and (b) unfunded public sector pension schemes for which his Department, its agencies and its non-departmental public bodies are responsible; when the last actuarial valuation was of each scheme; what the value was of the assets at the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; what deficit is disclosed by the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: With one exception the Ministry of Defence, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are not responsible for any funded pension schemes. The schemes for the three Armed Forces Sports Boards are unfunded schemes that are analogous to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme and are paid for by grant-in-aide and non-public funds. As such they have no assets and are not subject to actuarial valuation.
	Of the seven executive non-departmental public bodies listed in "Public Bodies 2002", the National Army Museum scheme is analogous to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme and is paid for through grant-in-aid. It has no assets and is not subject to actuarial valuation. The Royal Naval Museum, the Royal Naval Submarine Museum and the Fleet Air Arm Museum have privately provided money purchase schemes. Again, the schemes have no assets and are not subject to actuarial valuation. The RAF Museum supports a money purchase stakeholder pension to which it does not contribute and there is no designated pension scheme for the Royal Marines Museum. The one funded scheme is run by the Oil and Pipelines Agency. The last actuarial valuation of the scheme was 5 April 2001 at which the value of the assets was £2.11 million. The funding surplus at the last valuation was f£0.468 million.
	MOD is also responsible for unfunded schemes for locally engaged staff in Gibraltar, Cyprus and St. Helena. These schemes have no assets and are not subject to actuarial valuation, being funded locally through operating costs.
	The Armed Forces Pension Scheme is an unfunded, salary-related contracted-out occupational pension scheme open to most members of the armed forces. There is also a scheme for Non-Regular Permanent Staff and the Army Careers Officers Pension Scheme. The latter two are minor schemes incorporated with the Armed Forces Pension Scheme for actuarial and Resource Accounting purposes, whose membership amounted to some 0.54 per cent. of the overall Armed Forces Pension Scheme as at 31 Mar 2002.
	The last actuarial statement for the Armed Forces Pension Scheme was produced by the Government Actuary's Department for the year ending 31 March 2002 1 , and was included as part of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme Resource Accounts 2001–02 which are laid before Parliament. As at 31 March 2002, the value of liabilities for the Armed Forces Pension Scheme was £53.5 billion. The next full valuation is currently in progress and will be included in the Armed Forces Pension Scheme Resource Accounts for 2002–03.
	1 Based on an approximate assessment carried out as at 31 March 1997, updated to reflect known changes that had occurred since that date.

Procurement

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts the Defence Procurement Agency is dealing with.

Adam Ingram: The Defence Procurement Agency placed a total of 938 new contracts during the past two financial years up to and including FY 2001–02. During the first nine months of the current financial year it placed a further 457 contracts. The precise number of contracts being managed could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Secondments

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what Department for International Development staff have been assigned to his Department in the past year; to whom they report; and what are and will their responsibilities be;
	(2)  which officials within his Department have responsibility for liaising with the Department for International Development; whether their roles are full-time; whether they report through the chiefs of staff; and what their (a) purpose and (b) function are.

Lewis Moonie: There are no Ministry of Defence (MOD) staff dedicated exclusively to liaison with the Department for International Development (DfID). Liaison occurs at all levels on an ad hoc and routine basis where co-ordination and consultation on policy and implementation is required.
	No DfID staff are assigned to MOD. A number of DfID officials are, however embedded in the United Kingdom National Component Command Head-Quarters in Kuwait, advising on contingency planning for humanitarian assistance in the period immediately following conflict A DfID official is also embedded within the Defence Advisory Team, based at Shrivenham, which provides advice on Security Sector Reform advice and co-ordination as part of the cross departmental Conflict Prevention Initiative. All embedded staff report to DfID.

South Korea

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many MOD personnel are serving in South Korea.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave on 6 March 2003, Official Report, column 1175, to the hon. Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer) and on 24 March 2003, Official Report, column 20W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Hamilton, South (Mr. Tynan). In addition to these posts, a Ministry of Defence civilian fills the First Secretary Defence post at the British Embassy in Seoul.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Chechnya

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the opportunities which exist in Chechnya for those opposed to Russian policies in that country to voice that opposition.

Denis MacShane: Apart from a small number of foreign correspondents, most media in Chechnya are state-owned. While they do report stories of Chechen civilian complaints against Russian troops, the main thrust of Russian news reporting tends to be supportive of the Government line.

Diversity Courses

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants in his Department have attended diversity courses.

Mike O'Brien: The FCO has been running training courses on diversity issues for many years. In the years for which records are available, 1998–2003, a total of 3,155 members of staff have attended our Equal Opportunities and subsequently our Managing Inclusion course. We have just introduced a new Valuing Diversity programme, which will reach more than 600 members of staff per year for the three years of its contract.

Guantanamo Bay

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 24 March 2003, Official Report, column 70W, on Guantanamo Bay, whether he has (a) requested formal consular access to Guantanamo Bay from the US authorities and (b) called for the status of the prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay to be decided by a tribunal; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The information is as follows:
	(a) Yes.
	(b) Although the Foreign Secretary has not called for a tribunal to decide the detainees status, he has raised the issue of the detainees with Colin Powell several times, most recently on 23 January. Officials are in frequent contact.
	We have made clear that whatever their status the detainees are entitled to humane treatment and, if prosecuted, a fair trial. We have been encouraging the US to move forward with the process of determining the future of the British detainees. We shall continue to do so.

Independent Monitor

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will announce the name of the new Independent Monitor.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be recruiting a new Independent Monitor through open competition. We aim to place advertisements for this position in the press in the week commencing 7 April.

Iraqi Ambassador

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the Iraqi Ambassador to the United Kingdom was expelled.

Mike O'Brien: The Head of the Iraqi Interests Section in the Jordanian Embassy and his Administrative Attaché were given five working days to leave the UK on 24 March. Their presence is no longer appropriate in view of coalition military action in Iraq.

Middle East

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) Oman and (b) Bahrain since the start of the Iraq War.

Mike O'Brien: We have regular discussions with these Governments.

Security Council Veto

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions since 1974 when one or more permanent Members used a veto in the UN Security Council, broken down by the proposition under consideration and the vetoing countries.

Bill Rammell: The following table includes the date of veto, country (or countries) vetoing, and the subject of the draft resolution that was vetoed:
	
		
			 Date Countries Subject 
		
		
			 31 July 1974 USSR Situation in Cyprus 
			 30 October 1974 France; UK; US Relationship between UN and South Africa 
			 6 June 1975 France; UK; US Situation in Namibia 
			 11 August 1975 US Application for membership for Republic of South Vietnam 
			 11 August 1975 US Application for membership for Democratic Republic of Vietnam 
			 30 September 1975 US Application for membership for Republic of South Vietnam 
			 30 September 1975 US Application for membership for Democratic Republic of Vietnam 
			 8 December 1975 US Situation in the Middle East 
			 26 January 1976 US Middle East, including Palestine question 
			 6 February 1976 France Situation in the Comoros 
			 25 March 1976 US Situation arising from recent developments in occupied Arab territories 
			 23 June 1976 US Application for membership for Angola 
			 29 June 1976 US Question of the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people 
			 19 October 1976 France; UK; US Situation in Namibia 
			 15 November 1976 US Application for membership for Socialist republic of Vietnam 
			 31 October 1977 France; UK; US Question of South Africa 
			 31 October 1977 France; UK; US Question of South Africa 
			 31 October 1977 France; UK; US Question of South Africa 
			 15 January 1979 USSR Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia 
			 16 March 1979 USSR The situation in south-east Asia and its implications for international peace and security 
			 7 January 1980 USSR Soviet invasion of Afghanistan 
			 13 January 1980 USSR Call for sanctions against Iran because of the American hostages 
			 30 April 1980 US Question of exercise by the Palestinian people of their inalienable rights 
			 30 April 1981 France; UK; US Question of Namibia 
			 30 April 1981 France; UK; US Question of Namibia 
			 30 April 1981 France; UK; US Question of Namibia 
			 30 April 1981 France; UK; US Question of Namibia 
			 31 August 1981 US South African incursion in Angola 
			 20 January 1982 US Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights 
			 2 April 1982 US Nicaragua; US military exercises with Honduras 
			 2 April 1982 US Situation in occupied Arab territories: Palestine 
			 20 April 1982 US Situation in occupied Arab territories: Palestine 
			 4 June 1982 UK; US Falklands Question 
			 8 June 1982 US Israeli invasion of Lebanon 
			 26 June 1982 US Israeli invasion of Lebanon 
			 6 August 1982 US Israeli invasion of Lebanon 
			 2 August 1983 US Situation in occupied Arab territories 
			 12 September 1983 USSR The shooting down by the Soviet Union of a South Korean civil airliner 
			 27 October 1983 US The US invasion of Grenada 
			 29 February 1984 USSR United Nations role in Lebanon 
			 4 April 1984 US The mining of Nicaraguan ports 
			 6 September 1984 US Israeli occupation of Lebanon 
			 12 March 1985 US Israeli occupation of Lebanon 
			 10 May 1985 US Economic sanctions against Nicaragua 
			 10 May 1985 US Economic sanctions against Nicaragua 
			 10 May 1985 US Economic sanctions against Nicaragua 
			 26 July 1985 UK; US The question of South Africa 
			 13 September 1985 US Situation in occupies Arab territories: Palestine 
			 15 November 1985 UK; US Question of Namibia 
			 17 January 1986 US Israeli Occupation of Lebanon 
			 30 January 1986 US Provocative acts in relation to Al Aqsa Mosque 
			 6 February 1986 US Israeli interception and detention of Libyan civilian aircraft 
			 21 April 1986 France; UK; US United States raid on Libya 
			 23 May 1986 UK; US South African raids into Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe 
			 18 June 1986 UK; US South African attacks on Angola 
			 31 July 1986 US Nicaragua and the ICJ Judgments 
			 28 October 1986 US Nicaragua and ICJ Judgment 
			 20 February 1987 UK; US South Africa 
			 9 April 1987 UK; US Question of Namibia 
			 18 January 1988 US Israeli occupation of Lebanon 
			 1 February 1988 US Situation in the occupied territories: Palestine 
			 8 March 1988 UK; US Sanctions against South Africa 
			 15 April 1988 US Situation in the occupied territories: Palestine 
			 10 May 1988 US Israeli invasion of Southern Lebanon 
			 14 December 1988 US Israeli raid on Lebanon 
			 11 January 1989 France; UK; US Shooting down of Libyan aircraft 
			 17 February 1989 US Situation in the occupied territories: Palestine 
			 9 June 1989 US Situation in the occupied territories: Palestine 
			 7 November 1989 US Situation in the occupied territories: Palestine 
			 23 December 1989 US; UK; France The invasion of Panama 
			 17 January 1990 US Violation of diplomatic privileges and immunities of the Nicaraguan Ambassador's residence in Panama 
			 31 May 1990 US Situation in the occupied territories: Palestine 
			 11 May 1993 Russia Situation in Cyprus 
			 2 December 1994 Russia The situation in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 
			 17 May 1995 US The situation in the occupied Arab territories 
			 10 January 1997 China Central America: efforts towards peace 
			 7 March 1997 US The situation in the occupied Arab territories 
			 21 March 1997 US The situation in the occupied Arab territories 
			 25 February 1999 China The situation in Macedonia 
			 27 March 2001 US Establishment of UN observer force to protect Palestinian civilians 
			 14 December 2001 US Situation in the occupied territories: Palestine 
			 30 June 2002 US UNMIBH and the ICC 
			 20 December 2002 US Situation in the occupied territories: Palestine

Weapons of Mass Destruction

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of whether (a) North Korea, (b) Iran and (c) Cuba possess weapons of mass destruction; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: We have for some time had serious concerns about the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programmes of a number of countries. We are particularly concerned by recent statements and actions by North Korea whom we believe to have ambitions to manufacture nuclear weapons.
	We have also noted information which has recently become available on the nature and scale of Iran's nuclear programme. It is a matter of concern that Iran did not make the information available to the International Atomic Energy Agency earlier. We note that the IAEA Director-General has said that some nuclear safeguards issues remain to be clarified.
	We have no clear evidence that Cuba is engaged in a programme to develop WMD, although we do have some concerns about the scale of their pharmaceutical production capacity. Cuba has recently signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a move which we have publicly welcomed.
	We consistently call upon all states that have not yet done so to sign, ratify and abide by the obligations of all the International Treaties and Conventions covering the development of weapons of mass destruction and the means for their delivery.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency plans the High Commission in Harare is putting in place as a result of the recent increase in state-sponsored violence; and if he will make a statement on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Jack Straw: The British High Commission in Harare keeps the political and security situation in Zimbabwe under close review. The High Commission's contingency plans are flexible and designed to cope with any likely eventualities in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Zimbabwe's suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth will be reviewed; and what discussions his Department has had with the South African Government concerning Zimbabwe's suspension.

Jack Straw: The Commonwealth Secretary General has stated that Zimbabwe's suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth will be reviewed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Abuja in December.
	We have maintained regular contact with the South African Government on this issue. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Director for Africa addressed it with senior South African officials during a visit to Pretoria in the week of 17 March; and my noble Friend Baroness Amos, Minister for Africa, is in South Africa this week.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she will respond to the First Report from the International Development Select Committee Session 2002–03 on Afghanistan.

Clare Short: The Government response to the recommendations of the International Development Select Committee was sent to the Committee on 28 March.

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to her Answer of 7 March 2003, Official Report, column 1252W, on Afghanistan, whether electricity is available 24 hours a day in Kabul.

Clare Short: As winter ends and spring starts in Kabul, there is now a 24 hour supply of electricity again in Kabul. However, the demand for electricity is greater than the supply. And for many people, the distribution network is unreliable. Availability is intermittent. The Transitional Administration has set a target of eliminating power outages progressively over the next three years by increasing generating and importing capacity.

Ebola

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what level of aid is being given to combat the recent outbreak of Ebola in the Congo.

Clare Short: My Department has contributed £50,000 through the International Federation of the Red Cross. We continue to monitor the situation and are in close contact with the World Heath Organisation, Red Cross and Medecins Sans Frontieres.

Food Shortages (Southern Africa)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on food shortages in southern Africa.

Clare Short: Six countries in southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Malawi and Mozambique) have been suffering food shortages since late 2001. Food aid and other assistance has been provided to over 14 million people, half of these in Zimbabwe. This international effort has avoided a major catastrophe.
	Harvests are due across the region in April 2003. Early forecasts are for variable but generally improved crops. If these forecasts are accurate, then there should be a significant reduction in the scale of the crisis in the region. While further assistance will be needed in Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland, there should be little need for food aid in Malawi and Zambia.
	However, there continues to be a major crisis in Zimbabwe, where over seven million people are likely to continue to need assistance during the next 12 months. This is largely the result of disastrous economic management in the country.
	DFID has provided over £106 million in response to the crisis since September 2001, as well as over £21 million as the UK share of EU assistance.

Iraq

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence concerning humanitarian contingency plans for Iraq.

Clare Short: I discuss humanitarian planning for Iraq regularly with the Secretary of State for Defence and other Ministers.
	My Department has been working closely with the Ministry of Defence to minimise the humanitarian impact of any conflict; both to limit the risks to the Iraqi population and the infrastructure on which they depend, and to ensure that UK forces meet their obligations under the Hague and Geneva Conventions governing armed conflict. DFID has seconded two humanitarian specialists to work with the UK's armed forces and to advise on relief activities.

Market Research

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what expenditure has been incurred by her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental bodies in 2002 on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if she will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each.

Clare Short: In 2002, my Department spent £43,395 on the commissioning of two studies of UK public attitudes. This is a long term exercise with regular surveys on an annual basis. The first, carried out by MORI, records attitudes amongst school children and cost £11,515. The other, undertaken by the ONS, monitored the UK adult population at a cost of £31,880. Both surveys monitor public attitudes towards and support for international development in the UK. The results of each public opinion poll are used to inform and monitor the impact of the public education work of the Department.
	None of our current non-departmental public bodies has incurred expenditure in relation to opinion bodies and/or focus groups.

Travel Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of travel by train by staff in her Department in 2002.

Clare Short: The cost of rail travel by UK based DFID staff for 2002 was £346,000. This figure is provisional and subject to final audit. DFID staff are required to use the most efficient and economical means of travel.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Historic Buildings

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she is able to take to make orders for spot listing of historic buildings where the owners refuse access or are otherwise not co-operative.

Kim Howells: When some buildings are being considered for listing under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, English Heritage can advise without requiring access to the property. In cases where a closer survey is necessary, English Heritage will try to work with the owners to arrange a visit. Should this not be possible, however, as a last resort the Secretary of State has the power, under Section 88 of the above Act, to authorise entry.

Historic Buildings

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications for the spot listing of historic buildings were (a) granted and (b) refused in the last 12 months.

Kim Howells: During the 12-month period to 31 December 2002, 297 applications for the spot listing of historic buildings were granted. During the same period, around 700 applications were refused as the buildings were deemed by the Secretary of State not to meet the criteria for listing as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, and Planning Policy Guidance Note 15: Planning and the Historic Environment.

Historic Sites (Buckinghamshire)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the sites of historic interest in Buckinghamshire which received grant aid in 2002.

Kim Howells: Grants were allocated to the following sites of historic interest in Buckinghamshire in 2002.
	Grants awarded by English Heritage:
	St. Mary's Church, Hardwick
	All Saints' Church, Milton Keynes
	Church of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, Wavendon
	All Saints' Church, Buckland
	Stowe House, Stowe
	Doric Arch, Stowe Landscape Gardens, Stowe
	Statue of King George I, Stowe Landscape Gardens, Stowe
	Gothic Temple, Hall Barn Estate, Beaconsfield
	Grants paid by the Heritage Lottery Fund for historic buildings:
	Stowe House, Stowe
	Old Schoolroom, Weedon
	Guildhall, High Wycombe
	Parish Church, Penn

Lottery

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list those organisations which responded to the consultation on Lottery distribution policy (a) in favour of merging the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund and (b) opposed to a merger.

Tessa Jowell: The Review of Lottery Funding consultation paper asked whether there might be merit in merging some distributors. There was general support for streamlining the delivery of Lottery funding. Of the 425 responses received, 12 respondents raised the possibility of a merger between the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund. Six were broadly in favour, while six expressed reservations. The following table provides details.
	Broadly in favour:
	Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association
	Coalfields Regeneration Trust
	East Midlands Regional Assembly
	East Midlands Sport
	Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management
	London Borough of Camden
	Expressed reservations
	Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations
	Contact a Family
	The Council of Museums in Wales
	Dacorum Council for Voluntary Service
	Family Planning Association
	National Association of Council for Voluntary Service

Museums

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the museums based in Buckinghamshire which have received funding from the Designated Museums Challenge fund, indicating (a) the nature of the project, (b) the date of the award and (c) the amount of funding provided in each case.

Kim Howells: There are no museums in Buckinghamshire included in the Designation Scheme and therefore they are not eligible to apply for funds from the Designation Challenge Fund.

Travel Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost was of travel by train by staff in her Department in 2002.

Kim Howells: DCMS expenditure for travelling and subsistence for 2001–02 was £752,860. The cost of travel by train by staff can be obtained only at disproportionate cost as travel costs are not analysed on the Department's finance system according to the modes of travel.

Work Permits

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how her Department was consulted on the proposal to charge £95 for each work permit for entertainers playing engagements in the UK; and how she responded;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the impact upon live music venues of the decision to charge for work permits in the UK.

Kim Howells: DCMS was sent details of the charging proposals as part of the formal consultation Work Permits United Kingdom (WPUK) conducted last year and made no comment. The findings of the consultation document were published on 30 September 2002 and are available on the WPUK website at www.workpermits.gov.uk.
	I have not assessed the impact of the charges on live music venues but WPUK's Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) states that the costs and impact on business will be reviewed annually, and that consideration will be given to evidence provided in relation to exemptions or discounts for certain types of employers or employment. Details of the RIA are on the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

HOME DEPARTMENT

Charities

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are in place to determine which charities and charitable organisations will receive direct funding from central and local government.

Beverley Hughes: No central guidelines exist. Decisions on funding are the responsibility of each Government Department and local authority.
	It is common practice, however, for Departments to publish application criteria and guidance notes for each grant programme to which voluntary and community organisations, including charities and charitable organisations, may wish to apply.

Charities

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which charities and charitable organisations provide public services (a) alongside and (b) additionally to those provided by (i) central and (ii) local government.

Beverley Hughes: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Charities

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's expenditure on charities and charitable trusts has been in each year since 1992.

Beverley Hughes: Information about funding from central gGovernment to voluntary and community groups, including charities and charitable trusts, is currently available in a publication funded by the Home Office, entitled "Central Government Funding of Voluntary and Community Organisations 1982/83 to 1999/2000: ISBN 1 84082 636–3".
	Copies of the report are available in Library.

Asylum Seekers

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many of the applicants granted section 4 NASS support received full board accommodation and (a) cash support and (b) no cash support in each month in the last two years; of those who received board and cash, how long each applicant was in receipt of full board; and how much cash support a week they received; and of the applicants who received full board accommodation and no cash, how long they were accommodated;
	(2)  how many people have applied for hard cases section 4 NASS support, broken down by area, in each month for the last two years; what the average duration of time taken was to process an application to the point where a decision is made on the application; how many applications resulted in the applicant receiving section 4 NASS support; how many applications were refused, broken down by reasons for refusal; and how many applications were deferred pending further information.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 31 March 2003
	I am afraid the information is not available in the precise form requested. Section 4 provides for the provision of full board and accommodation only. There is no eligibility for cash support. It is the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) policy to use full board accommodation but in a limited number of cases vouchers may be provided by the contractor to enable the purchase of food to cover some meals. NASS does not have a central record of the number of requests for accommodation under section 4, the length of time taken to process them or the outcome. This information could only be obtained by interrogating individual records.

Asylum Seekers

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long Wellington, Somerset has been included within the Taunton and Bridgwater cluster area for the housing of asylum seekers; and when (a) Taunton Deane Borough Council and (b) Somerset county council were notified.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 31 March 2003
	The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) conducted all its negotiations on potential dispersal areas through the regional consortia. NASS did not, as a matter of routine, correspond with individual borough councils and county councils. NASS wrote to the lead authority for each regional consortia on 25 January 2000 to inform them of the areasthey were proposing to designate as dispersal areas. Taunton and Bridgwater, including Wellington, was included in this list. At that time the lead authority for the south west region was the City of Bristol. Taunton and Bridgwater, includingWellington, was included in the list of designated areas for dispersal when NASS became operational on 3 April 2000.

Asylum Seekers

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with Wandsworth borough council on the borough's policy on paying benefits to people living in the borough and seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.

Beverley Hughes: The London borough of Wandsworth is responsible for providing support to eligible asylum seekers under the Asylum Support (Interim Provisions) Regulations 1999. The Regulations say that the support must be provided in a way which seems to the council to meet the person's essential living needs. There have been no discussions with Wandsworth on its policy in paying benefits to those living in the borough who are asylum seekers. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) is holding discussions with local authority organisations on whether and, if so, how those asylum seekers currently supported by local authorities could be transferred to the NASS system of support.

Asylum Seekers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of suspected asylum support fraud have been referred to NASS from (a) the Benefit Fraud Hotline and (b) the Targeting Fraud Website; how many investigations have been undertaken as a result; what the outcomes were; what action was taken; how many (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful prosecutions have resulted; what penalties were imposed; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 13 March 2003
	The management information records held by The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) do not specifically record referrals from the Benefit Fraud Hotline or the Targeting Fraud website. Referrals from these sources would be recorded as being received from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Since 2000 we have received five referrals from DWP. Information on individual investigations received as a result of a referral from DWP could only be obtained by searching individual records. There are also arrangements for joint working where there is overlapping interest.
	The number of referrals is low. The Benefit Fraud Hotline was established so that members of the public could give details of possible benefit fraud. The public may not readily identify NASS as being part of the benefits system. Staff at the Benefit Hotline are aware which cases would be of interest to The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) as a whole and there are processes for them to refer these to IND.
	The Targeting Fraud website was established to facilitate the reporting of benefit fraud relating to employers rather than individuals who are working. Any referrals from this would be of more interest to the Immigration Service. They are responsible for ensuring that only those foreign nationals eligible to take employment are in fact employed.

Community Support Officers

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police areas have (a) agreed and (b) not agreed to introduce community support officers.

Bob Ainsworth: Twenty seven police forces have already introduced 1,281 community support officers (CSO) they are:
	Avon and Somerset, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cleveland, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, Dorset, Durham, Essex, Greater Manchester, Gwent, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire, West Mercia, West Yorkshire, and Wiltshire.
	A second funding round for CSOs for 2003–04 is currently taking place but the bidding process is not yet complete. Whilst we are anticipating that more forces will recruit CSOs this year, it is not yet possible to say which forces.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter dated 19 February from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent Mr. N. Stagg of Turriff.

Beverley Hughes: The reply to the hon. Member was sent by my noble Friend (Lord Filkin) on 27 March.

Criminal Records Checks

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend Criminal Records Bureau checks to those who are associated with companies providing (a) services and (b) accommodation to vulnerable people.

Hilary Benn: All posts or positions which fall within the scope of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 are eligible for a Standard Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau. Those which are also within the terms of section 115 of the Police Act 1997 are eligible for an enhanced disclosure. Providers and managers of, for example, children's homes, adult care homes, domiciliary care agencies and nurses agencies are amongst those which are subject to such checks on a mandatory basis under relevant regulations.
	Employees of companies providing services or accommodation to vulnerable people who are not covered by the exceptions order will be eligible for a basic disclosure. Priority is being given to ensuring that the demand for standard and enhanced disclosures is fully met, but the aim is to introduce basic disclosures as soon as practicable.

Departmental Telephone Directory

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the most recent internal telephone directory for the Department was published; how often it is updated; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Beverley Hughes: The internal phone directory of the Home Department is only available electronically and is updated on a daily basis. It is not published and is for internal use within the Department.

Domestic Violence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report on the inter-personal violence module included in the 2001 British Crime Survey on domestic violence will be published.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 1 April 2003
	The 2001 British Crime Survey (BCS) contained an inter-personal violence self-completion module, designed to estimate the extent of domestic violence, sexual victimisation and stalking.
	Analysis of data from this module is under way, and we hope to publish the results this summer.

Drug Dependency (Prisoners)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Tunbridge Wells of 24 February, Official Report, column 110W, on drug dependency (prisoners), if he will list the drugs recorded by mandatory drugs testing in prisons over the time period referred to.

Hilary Benn: The percentage of positive random mandatory drug tests for prisons in England and Wales broken down by drug group over the time period requested are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial Year 
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Total (%)(11) 24.4 20.8 18.3 14.2 12.4 11.6 
			 Cannabis 20.2 17.2 14.5 10.4 7.5 6.8 
			 Opiates 5.5 4.3 4.5 4.4 4.7 4.6 
			 Cocaine 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 Benzodiazepines 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.1 1.3 1.2 
			 Methadone 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Amphetamines 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Barbiturates 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Buprenorphine(12) 1.2 1.2 
		
	
	(11) These figures reflect overall misuse—e.g. single positive test may comprise multiple drug positives reflecting poly drug use.
	(12) Buprenorphine testing is conducted only in the North East and Yorkshire areas.

English Civil War Pamphlets

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what cataloguing of his Department's collection of English Civil War pamphlets has taken place; and whether such a catalogue will be made available to the public.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 1 April 2003
	None of the English Civil War pamphlets in the Home Office Library's collection have been catalogued by the Library staff.

English Civil War Pamphlets

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place in the last two years concerning the future of his Department's collection of Civil War pamphlets; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 1 April 2003
	Staff in The Home Department's Library have held internal discussions relating to the future of the Department's collection of Civil War pamphlets. These discussions formed part of the Library's continual review of its collections and holdings and identified the need to investigate a more secure home for this collection where improved public access can be granted.

English Civil War Pamphlets

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist to permit public access to his Department's collection of English Civil War pamphlets.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 1 April 2003
	There is no general public access to the Home Office Library where this material is held. Bona fide researchers are permitted access by prior appointment only to refer to material not available elsewhere.

English Civil War Pamphlets

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what English Civil War pamphlets are held by his Department; and how many of these are unique.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 1 April 2003
	The collection of English Civil War pamphlets held in the Home Department's Library consists of over 900 items bound into 17 volumes. The Library has not compiled a catalogue of these individual items.
	It follows that it has not been possible to determine which items are unique. To do so would also require access to a range of specialist catalogues that the Library does not hold.

Experience Corps

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inquiries he has received from residents of the Buckingham constituency about setting up Experience Corps in the last 12 months.

Beverley Hughes: The Home Office is not aware of any enquiries from residents of the Buckingham constituency about setting up theExperience Corps. However, the Experience Corps operates on a regional basis and there have been 14,053 enquiries to their west region, which includes Buckingham, in the 12 months ending 24 March 2003.

Helplines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 11 February, Official Report, columns 719–20, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to those helplines charged at national and premium rates in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by each telephone number; and what the average duration of the calls was.

Beverley Hughes: This information is not kept and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Police Service

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues about the police services that exist separate to the police services of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Bob Ainsworth: The Home Office does not have lead responsibility for the police services that exist separate to the regular police forces of England and Wales. However, wherever there are issues that impact either on the relationship between such non-Home Office police forces and the regular police forces in England and Wales, or on policing generally, the Home Office will discuss these issues with the relevant lead department to endeavour to deliver the best joined-up policing on the ground.
	The Home Office has had recent significant discussions with the Department for Transport on building on the already close operational integration between the British Transport Police (BTP) and the Metropolitan Police Service, in particular with regards to BTP's contribution to the Street Crime Initiative in London. The Home Office has also supported the Department for Transport's proposals to modernise the BTP in the current Railways and Transport Safety Bill, and the Department for Trade and Industry's similar proposals for the UK Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary.

Police Service

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the (a) training, (b) ethical and (c) professional standards that apply to the police forces which exist outside the regular police service.

Bob Ainsworth: The Home Department does not have lead responsibility for the police forces that exist outside of the regular police service. Lead responsibility resides with the relevant Government Department. I will continue to support and assist my ministerial colleagues with responsibility for forces which exist outside the regular police service, in all of their efforts to ensure that such forces meet the training, ethical and professional standards appropriate to their policing role.

Post Room

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve the efficiency of the post room at the Home Office.

Beverley Hughes: Within the Home Office's Central London buildings post rooms are run by the Mail and Messenger service under the provisions of a service level agreement. The performance standards are regularly monitored, and the levels specified are being achieved.
	The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) at Croydon have a separate post room, whose processes have been reviewed recently. All incoming and outgoing recorded delivery (RD) and special delivery (SD) mail is electronically logged and tracked. A new computer system is now being introduced to speed up the recording of RD and SD mail; this will also enable Call Centre staff to check whether the Integrated Casework Directorate (ICD) has received or despatched specific recorded or special delivery items. ICD are also working with Royal Mail to ensure that mail is not lost in transit.

Prison Officer Vacancies

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vacancies there are for prison officers in each prison in England and Wales (a) in terms of the actual number of vacancies in each establishment and (b) as a percentage of the total number of prison officers employed in each establishment; and what the figures were in each of the last five years.

Hilary Benn: The level of stated vacancies within each grade is not available for each of the last five years. However, a return of planned posts (i.e. the anticipated staffing level) for each grade by establishment is collated. I have placed tables showing the recorded shortfall of staff in post compared to planned posts for officer grades in all public sector establishments on 31 March in each year in the Library. The figures include prison officers, senior officers and principal officers. Data on prison custody officers in private sector prisons is not included as this is commercial in confidence.

Talgarth Hospital

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to use the former Mid-Wales Hospital at Talgarth as (a) an asylum centre and (b) a prison.

Beverley Hughes: There are currently no plans to use the former hospital at Talgarth as (a) accommodation for asylum seekers and (b) a prison.

Terrorism

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about contingency planning for terrorist incidents in London.

David Blunkett: holding answer 1 April 2003
	The UK has the necessary plans in place in the interests of national security and the protection of the public. The Government's preparations include a series of classified contingency plans for responding to a wide range of terrorist threats. These plans are regularly tested, reviewed and updated in the light of changing circumstances. The response to any terrorist incident relies upon a co-ordinated approach and the Government draws upon the resources of other Departments, the security and intelligence agencies, the police, the military, scientific and other specialist advice, local authorities and the emergency services. In addition to the national contingency plans, the London Resilience Forum under the chair of my right hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford) examines resilience and preparedness of London for major emergencies including those caused by terrorism.

Unaccompanied Children (Entry Clearance)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied children and young people up to the age of 16 years old have been refused entry into the UK in each of the last three years.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not available. Published statistics of those people refused leave to enter the UK and subsequently removed include unaccompanied minors although they are not separately identifiable. The information would therefore only be available by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.
	However, as a matter of policy, unaccompanied children are not removed under Immigration Act powers unless we aresatisfied that suitable arrangements have been made for their reception and care in the destination country.

Unaccompanied Children (Entry Clearance)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what checks are made by immigration officials relating to unaccompanied children and young people, as to the reason why entry is being sought; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Anyone seeking entry to the United Kingdom who is not an EU/EEA national is subject to immigration control and must therefore satisfy the immigration officer that they meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.
	Unaccompanied children and young people under the age of 18 are no exception to this requirement, and will be seen by an immigration officer on arrival at United Kingdom ports and airports. Their age and the fact that they are travelling alone mean that special care is taken when they are interviewed. In seeking to establish whether entry is appropriate, the immigration officer may make checks with any relatives or sponsors in the United Kingdom, and against any address the child might have given as their intended residence whilst in the United Kingdom.
	Should the unaccompanied minor seek asylum on arrival in the United Kingdom then there are well established procedures in place to ensure that the child is dealt with where possible by immigration officers specially trained to interview children. Social services are notified so that adequate care can be arranged in the absence of any family in the United Kingdom and the Refugee Council's Children's Panel act as the independent advisor to the child during the processing of the asylum claim.

Video Identity Parades

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of video identity parades.

Bob Ainsworth: The National Video Identification System (NVIS), a system using video images of suspects and look-alike volunteers to crate identification parades, is in the process of being implemented.
	Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording (VIPER) is a system developed and operated, on a non-profit basis, by west Yorkshire police. The Home Office subsequently funded the development of a new VIPER Bureau in west Yorkshire. The Home Office subsequently funded the development of a new VIPER to sites in each of the ten street crime forces and the British transport police. A total of 17,000 compilations have been completed since the system was introduced in April 2002. Plans are in place, subject to appropriate funding, to roll out VIPER to all forces by the end of March 2004.
	A national standard for video identification has been drawn up to ensure the NVIS—VIPER and other suitable commercial systems are capable of passing images to the national database. The NVIS aims to increase the number of parades held and the number of positive identifications made.
	Video identification has shown marked benefits in the street crime forces and there are numerous examples of this process playing a significant role in bringing perpetrators for serious forces to justice within timescales previously unthinkable. For example, while 51 per cent. of live ID parades may be cancelled before witnesses can eve attend, with video ID that cancellation rate can be as low as 5 per cent.

NORTHERN IRELAND

EU Fisheries

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the extent is of the Hague Preference gains and losses resulting from the December 2002 EU Fisheries Council, broken down by (a) species, (b) area, (c) loser and (d) gainer.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is as follows:
	
		Hague preference gains/losses 2003 -- Tonnes
		
			 Species/Area UK gain/loss Ireland gain/loss HP invoked by Other member states which losequota as a result of invocations 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Cod Vb, VI, XII, XIV +133 +183 UK/Ireland Belgium, Germany, France 
			 Cod VIIa -270 +374 UK/Ireland Belgium, France, Netherlands 
			 Cod Vllb-k -18 +192 Ireland Belgium, France, Netherlands 
			 Haddock Vb, VI, XII, XIV -538 +639 Ireland Belgium, Germany, France 
			 Hake Vb, VI, XII, XIV -33 +188 Ireland Belgium, Spain, France, Netherlands 
			 Plaice VIIa -428 +503 Ireland Belgium, France, Netherlands 
			 Whiting Vb, VI, XII, XIV +143 -15 UK Germany, France 
			 Whiting VIIa -71 +90 UK/Ireland Belgium, France, Netherlands

EU Fisheries

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what compensatory swaps have been entered into following the December 2002 EU Fisheries Council by way of restitution to the UK of lost Hague Preference quota.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Discussions with Ireland are continuing, but it has not to date proved possible to agree swaps which compensate UK fishermen for 2003 quota lost as a result of the operation of Hague Preference.

Policing (North Belfast)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) full-time officers and (b) part-time officers there were in North Belfast on 1 July in each year since 1998.

Jane Kennedy: The following table shows the number of police officers serving in North Belfast on 1 July each year since 1998. CID Officers came under the control of respective District Commanders upon the establishment of District Command Units in 2001 therefore they are shown in addition to operational police officers.
	
		
			  Regular F/T reserves P/T reserves 
		
		
			 1998 358 146 121 
			 1999 346 142 119 
			 2000 342 128 108 
			 2001 345 (+32 CID) 124 103 
			 2002 317 (+28 CID) 104 98 
			 2003(13) 324 (+29 CID) 85 91 
		
	
	(13) Figure as at 14 March 2003

LORD CHANCELLOR

Court of Protection

Annette Brooke: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department pursuant to her answer of 20 March, Official Report, column 908W, on Court of Protection (portfolio holdings), what proportion of funds are retained in the Special Account; what the average number of portfolio holdings held by the Public Guardianship Office was between February 1999 and February 2003; what the total value of portfolio holdings was at the end of February (a) 1999 and (b) 2003; and what scrutiny procedures are in place for the work of private fund managers under contract to the PGO.

Rosie Winterton: The precise information requested is not available.
	As at 31 March 2002, holdings in the Special Account stood at approximately 65 per cent. of total funds, compared with 62 per cent. in March 2001 and 60 per cent. in March 2000.
	The total number of receivership cases handled by the Public Guardianship Office (PGO) was 37,000 in early 1999 and is now about 18,000. This reduction reflects the switch to the use of Enduring Powers of Attorney and the introduction of a higher capital threshold for receivership.
	Portfolios managed by external fund managers were as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			  March 2002 December 2002 
		
		
			 Panel fund managers   
			 Securities 415 415 
			 Cash 130 260 
			  
			 Non-panel fund managers 60 80 
			  
			 Total 605 755 
			  
			 Number of cases managed 1,900 2,700 
		
	
	Both the panel and non-panel fund managers working for PGO clients are required to follow the investment directions given by the Court of Protection. Investment performance is calculated annually and the total outcome for a case is reported on a monthly basis. The panel fund managers are also required to attend meetings of the Lord Chancellor's Strategic Investment Board and answer questions about their performance and conduct of their clients' affairs.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agricultural Support

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of public spending on agricultural support for each year from 1980–81 to 2004–05 in (a) cash terms and (b) real terms; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 27 March 2003
	The following table provides estimates of public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies from 1980–81 to 2002–03. No estimates are available for subsequent years.
	
		Public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies -- £ million
		
			  Current prices Real terms  2002–03 prices 
		
		
			 1980–81 1,012 384 
			 1981–82 972 413 
			 1982–83 1,433 660 
			 1983–84 1,729 834 
			 1984–85 1,712 867 
			 1985–86 2,165 1,162 
			 1986–87 1,449 804 
			 1987–88 1,630 943 
			 1988–89 1,380 837 
			 1989–90 1,258 822 
			 1990–91 1,910 1,367 
			 1991–92 1,979 1,499 
			 1992–93 2,028 1,594 
			 1993–94 2,905 2,320 
			 1994–95 2,512 2,054 
			 1995–96 2,897 2,451 
			 1996–97 4,318 3,742 
			 1997–98 3,583 3,203 
			 1998–99 3,482 3,219 
			 1999–00 3,161 2,967 
			 2000–2001 3,042 2,940 
			 2001–02(14) 4,664 4,590 
			 2002–03(14),(15) 3119 3119 
		
	
	(14) From 2001–02 figures are based on accrual accounts and cannot be compared directly with historical figures.
	(15) Forecast
	Source:
	Agriculture in the United Kingdom

Farm Incomes

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average farm incomes, by sector, were in each year since 1992 for farms within the (a) Sussex Downs and (b) Sussex Weald.

Elliot Morley: Net farm income estimates are obtained from a sample survey. Results are not available for the Sussex Downs or the Sussex Weald. Figures are available for East and West Sussex as a whole but these cannot be provided for individual sectors because the sample size is too small.
	
		Net farm income for all farm types excluding horticulture—East and West Sussex
		
			 Average net farm income per farm (£/farm) 
			 Farm type 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2002 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 At current prices  (16)— (17)— 
			 All types (excluding horticulture) 14,000 16,000 20,500 22,000 24,500 14,000 -6,000 -2,500 0 -2,500 N/a 
		
	
	(16) Excluding farms subjected to compulsory FMD cull
	(17) Provisional
	Source:
	Farm Business Survey
	Results by sector for this period are readily available in continuous form only for England.
	
		Net farm income by type of farm—England
		
			 Average net farm income per farm (£/farm) 
			 Farm type 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2002 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 At current prices  (18)— (19)— 
			 Dairy 36,900 42,600 36,300 41,100 33,600 22,000 13,500 9,000 10,800 22,800 17,000 
			 Cattle and sheep (LFA) 13,000 15,900 13,100 17,200 17,400 10,700 5,700 4,600 6,700 9,700 25,00 
			 Cattle and sheep (lowland) 10,000 13,400 10,400 10,800 9,500 1,100 900 600 -400 -500 8,000 
			 Cereals 24,200 24,000 31,700 49,600 43,900 16,800 8,900 13,500 7,300 4,100 9,500 
			 General cropping 35,900 44,800 72,200 89,100 47,600 23,100 36,000 8,800 18,400 17,900 17,500 
			 Pigs and poultry 47,900 14,700 31,500 67,300 60,900 20,400 15,800 -5,300 37,900 21,800 30,000 
			 Mixed 28,300 26,900 34,200 51,800 39,600 8,900 1,600 9,400 9,700 5,500 15,500 
			 All Types (excluding horticulture 30,000 32,800 37,700 49,800 38,300 17,200 11,800 8,600 9,900 10,600 14,500 
		
	
	(18) Excluding farms subjected to compulsory FMD cull
	(19) Provisional
	Source
	Farm Business Survey

Fishing Industry

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the recorded (a) proportion and (b) tonnage was of fisheries discards in UK waters in each of the last five years.

Elliot Morley: UK fisheries laboratories send observers to sea to record the quantity of fish discarded and retained by fishing vessels. Systematic data over five years for a representative sample of the UK fleet is only available for some fisheries. The tables show estimates for the proportion of catch discarded of cod, haddock, and whiting and total discarding of these species by the UK fleet in the North Sea. These estimates are obtained by raising the observer data to the total number of recorded days-at-sea.
	
		(a) Percentage of catch discarded (by weight)
		
			 Species 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 England  
			 Cod 15 17 16 13 25 
			 Haddock 21 14 41 40 9 
			 Whiting 44 61 53 63 41 
			   
			 Scotland  
			 Cod 23 12 17 23 9 
			 Haddock 38 41 52 75 46 
			 Whiting 35 48 49 46 52 
		
	
	
		(b) Discard estimates (in tonnes)
		
			 Species 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 England  
			 Cod 9,649 4,464 582 1,451 1,335 
			 Haddock 1,867 1,801 3,448 4,061 1,112 
			 Whiting 6,602 9,204 667 7,867 2,808 
			   
			 Scotland  
			 Cod 10,287 2,991 4,141 4,440 1,519 
			 Haddock 35,134 35,270 39,745 86,297 32,196 
			 Whiting 8,861 15,563 16,211 8,869 8,315

Fishing Industry

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the No. 10 Strategic Policy Unit Paper on a strategy for the fishing industry for the next 5–10 years which was commissioned in January will be published.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 20 March 2003
	On 27 March I announced that the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit had begun work to develop a strategy for a sustainable UK fishing industry over the next 5–10 years. Further information can be found on the Strategy Unit website http://www.strategy.gov.uk.
	A consultation document will be published in the next few months with the final report due for completion by the end of the year.

Flood Reduction

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will permit local authorities and private companies to contribute to the costs of flood reduction work in tandem with the Environment Agency when the cost benefit analysis of the project by the Agency is less than one.

Elliot Morley: Private companies and local authorities can and do make contributions towards the cost of flood defence projects but it is often incorrect to deduct these contributions from the cost of the project. Generally these contributions only affect the distribution of funding of costs and not the total resources required for the project. Hence an uneconomic project will remain uneconomic no matter the source.

Flood Reduction

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how often the property valuations used by the Environment Agency for their cost benefit analysis of flood reduction works are updated.

Elliot Morley: There are no hard and fast rules as to how often an operating authority should re-evaluate the benefits of a flood alleviation scheme. It is important, however, that in the preparation of a cost benefit analysis that the base year for evaluating cost and benefits should be the same.

Food Security

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent in the last three years on (a) food security measures, broken down by type and (b) research on priority threat agents against terrorist action.

Elliot Morley: In the last three years the Department has spent:
	On food security measures, £160,000 on a biennial Food Stocks Survey. This voluntary Survey provides locations and average stock figures by product group for much of the UK food industry. It allows Defra to make rapid assessments of the impact of a variety of disruptive challenges to food supplies.
	On public water supplies research against potential contamination has been on-going since 2000 and costs about £160,000 per year.
	On animal disease research, Defra is spending £16 million on areas such as exotic animal disease detection, diagnosis and control. Details of all the animal disease research programmes are available on the Defra website.
	All of this work is carried out to address all forms of threat and not just targeted at terrorist issues.

Illegal Meat Imports

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tonnes of illegally imported meat have been seized at (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick airports since October 2002; from what countries of origin they arrived; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 31 March 2003
	As at 27 March, Defra's ILAPS database has been notified since October 2002 of seizures containing meat and meat products totalling nearly 16 tonnes at Heathrow and nearly 3 tonnes at Gatwick. Some of these seizures are of products in which meat or meat products contribute only part of the total weight. In this period, seizures have been made from most areas of the world, with the majority coming from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
	This picture is consistent with the results of the risk assessment report for the import of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) into the UK, published on 25 March. Copies have been placed in the House Libraries.

Internal Drainage Boards

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total annual running cost of internal drainage boards is in the UK.

Elliot Morley: Total running costs for internal drainage boards in England for 2001–02 is as follows:
	
		
			 Internal drainage boards £ 
		
		
			 Total expenditure: 43,469,418 
			 Of which:  
			 Maintenance of watercourses 12,475,084 
			 Operating costs of pumping stations 4,531,685 
			 Capital expenditure 7,556,011 
			 Contributions to Environment Agency 7,274,828 
			 Administration costs 6,595,368 
			 Other 5,036,442 
		
	
	Note:
	The breakdown above excludes information on 8 boards for whom no information was submitted to DEFRA.

Internal Drainage Boards

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many internal drainage boards there are in the UK.

Elliot Morley: There are 223 internal drainage boards in England. There are no boards in Scotland.
	Information on boards in Wales is held by the National Assembly.

Internal Drainage Boards

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria she uses to determine that an internal drainage board is a small board.

Elliot Morley: There are no definitive criteria for determining that an internal drainage board is a small board. There is a continuum with some boards covering a small area only and turning over a few thousand pounds each year to others covering much larger areas and turning over several million pounds annually.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the Government's conclusions on the Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Review on 12 March 2003, including the intention to address the present number of internal drainage boards. In considering such issues account will be taken of factors such as their efficiency and effectiveness, their area and turnover, as well as the proximity with other boards with which they might merge or form consortia.

Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the statement made by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 3 February 2003, Official Report, column 5WS, on the landfill tax credit scheme, who appointed, and when, the independent panel of assessors to review the operation of the transitional funding process in England; who these assessors are; what their remit is; what action was taken to ensure that the appointment of the assessors complied with the Nolan Principles; at what rate and by whom the assessors are remunerated; and whether the assessors include (a) representatives of the waste management industry and (b) persons who are employed by bodies which make decisions relating to spending on (i) Object C and (ii) CC projects under the landfill tax credit scheme.

Michael Meacher: On 11 March I wrote to the three people listed as follows and asked them to serve as members of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme Sustainable Waste Management Legacy Fund Independent Assessment Panel. They have agreed to do so; the three members are:
	Dr. Jane Beasley from the Chartered Institute of Waste Management.
	Dr. Tariq Ali from the Imperial College Environment Office.
	Professor Chris Coggins an independent waste academic.
	The panel has been set up to approve eligible applications to the Legacy Fund to ensure that the process is transparent and cannot be criticised on propriety grounds or allegations of bias. Members of the panel should, therefore, have no direct link with any organisation that may benefit from the fund. In any instance where, contrary to intention this turns out not to be the case, the panel member concerned will declare an interest and not take part in any discussion/decision relating to the project in question.
	Panel members will be paid their out of pocket expenses and receive an honorarium of £350.
	Decisions on projects requiring continuing funding under the Legacy Scheme need to be taken very quickly. It was not possible therefore, to run an open competition for panel members. Their appointment has, however, conformed to Nolan Principles to the extent that they are independent of Government, are accepted leaders in their field and represent different elements in society.
	The possibility of having a representative of the waste management industry on the panel was considered, but was thought to be inappropriate given the role of the panel. Before appointing the panel members checks were made to ensure as far as possible that they were not connected to (i) Object C and (ii) CC projects that were likely to apply for Legacy Funding. However, as an additional protection the requirement to declare an interest and not take part in the decision was included in the operating procedures.

Marketing Budgets

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the marketing budgets were in 2001–02 of (a) the Meat and Livestock Commission, (b) Food from Britain, (c) the Sea Fish Industry Authority, (d) the Home Grown Cereals Authority, (e) the Milk Development Council and (f) the British Potato Council; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The marketing budgets for these NDPBs in 2001–02 were as follows.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Meat and Livestock Commission 17.034 
			 Food from Britain (20)7.800 
			 Sea Fish Industry Authority 2.624 
			 Home Grown Cereals Authority 0.623 
			 Milk Development Council (21)0.433 
			 British Potato Council 1.470 
		
	
	(20) This is Food from Britain's entire budget as all their spend is on marketing.
	(21) The Milk Development Council's actual spend for 2001–02 was £288,756.

Noise Mapping Project

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 13 March 2003, Official Report, column 376W, on the Noise Mapping Project, whether short-term noise events will be considered in later stages of the project; and if she will make a statement on best practice for resolving disputes caused by the sounding of train horns.

Alun Michael: Once the initial stage of the project has been completed, my officials will assess whether a more detailed account of short-term noise events such as the regular sounding of horns by trains should be taken.
	At present there is no best practice for resolving disputes caused by the sounding of train horns. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have put the issue of the sounding of train horns on the agenda of the forthcoming trilateral meeting with Railway Safety, the industry body that is responsible for Railway Group Standards and Network Rail, the infrastructure controller.
	However train horns are susceptible to statutory nuisance. Although the Railways Act 1993 Section 122 subsection 3, Part A exempts authorised railway undertakers from action at civil or criminal law for nuisance, it does not exempt them from the element of statutory nuisance that covers being prejudicial to health. For such a case to succeed, it would be necessary to prove, to the satisfaction of the court, that the nuisance was above and beyond what might be expected from the normal operation of a railway.

Organic Farming

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many organic farmers are registered in Buckinghamshire.

Michael Meacher: According to our records 15 organic farmers.

Organic Farming

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what help she is giving to organic farming companies to advertise their produce.

Michael Meacher: Direct funding is not available to individual companies to support advertising. However, the possibility of developing consumer information on organic food is being considered in the follow up to the action plan to develop organic food and farming in England. The marketing of quality agricultural products including organic produce is, in principle, eligible for pump priming assistance under the Rural Enterprise Scheme, which forms part of the England Rural Development Programme.

Potato Packing Companies

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to change the level of support for potato packing companies.

Elliot Morley: This Department does not provide any support for potato packing.

Poultry Imports

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) hatching eggs, (b) day old chicks, (c) poultry for breeding and production and (d) poultry for restocking supplies of game were imported into the United Kingdom in each year since 2000, broken down by country of origin.

Elliot Morley: Official Overseas Trade Statistics do not separately identify imports of (i) day old chicks, (ii) poultry for breeding and production and (iii) poultry for restocking supplies of game.
	The following tables show the UK imports of (a) hatching eggs, (b) chicks and (c) other live poultry, by country of export for the years 2000–02.
	
		UK imports of hatching eggs: 2000–02 -- Tonnes
		
			 Country 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Irish Republic 1,351 1,433 830 
			 France 250 107 341 
			 Germany 251 247 185 
			 U.S.A. 140 170 211 
			 Netherlands 7 13 184 
			 Belgium 24 37 41 
			 Denmark 31 — — 
			 Brazil — — 28 
			 Spain 10 8 — 
			 Canada 8 0 — 
			 Italy — — 0 
			 Grand total 2,072 2,015 1,821 
		
	
	
		UK imports of live chicks: 2000–02 -- Thousand head
		
			 Country 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Irish Republic 1,961 491 365 
			 Germany 78 237 1,237 
			 France 33 616 53 
			 U.S.A. 82 51 80 
			 Netherlands — 1 93 
			 Belgium 4 0 — 
			 Denmark 3 — — 
			 Czech Republic 2 — — 
			 Canada — — 0 
			 Grand total 2,163 1,397 1,827 
		
	
	
		PQ2288—UK imports of other live poultry: 2000–02 -- Thousand head
		
			 Description Country 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Turkeys (weight not exceeding 185g) France 2,234 4,241 1,410 
			  Belgium 201 129 — 
			  Irish Republic 99 77 76 
			  U.S.A. 41 — 1 
			  Italy — 6 2 
			 Turkeys total  2,575 4,452 1,490 
			  
			 Geese (weight not exceeding 185g) France 1 — — 
			 Geese total  1   
			  
			 Ducks and Guinea Fowl (weight not exceeding 185g) France 2,834 4,882 1,419 
			  Netherlands — — 241 
			  Denmark 13 164 25 
			  Belgium — 110 — 
			 Ducks and Guinea Fowl total  2,847 5,157 1,685 
			  
			 Chicken (weight exceeding 2000g) Irish Republic 5 — — 
			  Netherlands — 0 — 
			 Chicken total  5 0 — 
			  
			 Guinea Fowls (weight exceeding 185g) France 90 — — 
			  Netherlands 0 — — 
			 Guinea Fowls total  90 — — 
			 Grand total  5,519 9,608 3,175 
		
	
	Note:
	2002 data are provisional and subject to amendment
	Source:
	HM Customs and Excise
	Data prepared by Statistics (Commodities & Food) Accounts and Trade, ESD, DEFRA

Fallen Stock

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the EU Animal By-Products Regulation for the disposal of fallen livestock.

Elliot Morley: A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as part of the consultation procedures for implementation of the Animal By-products Regulation of which the ban on on-farm burial of fallen stock forms a part.

Waste Management

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the difference is between the cost of (a) landfill and (b) incineration per tonne of waste; and what information she has collated on the costs in other European Union member states.

Michael Meacher: The UK disposal cost per tonne of landfill will depend upon a range of location factors, the cost per tonne of incineration will depend upon the technology used and the capacity of the plant. The disposal cost per tonne in each case will fall within a range and it might generally be expected that gate fees at a disposal facility will be:
	(a) Landfill (excluding landfill tax) = £13-£23 per tonne;
	(b) Energy from waste = £30-£55 per tonne.
	Landfill costs per tonne in some other EU states according to the Strategy Unit report, "Waste not want not" (November 2002) are:
	
		
			 EU State (22)Landfill price—£ per tonne 
		
		
			 Austria 36–82 
			 Belgium 43–51 
			 Denmark 13–21 
			 Germany 16–32 
			 Greece 4–9 
			 Netherlands 47 
			 Portugal 4–9 
			 Spain 9 
		
	
	(22) Excluding landfill tax where applicable
	Note:
	Figures are approximate due to rounding

HEALTH

Agency Nurses

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2002, Official Report, column 1040W, on agency nurses, for what reason the costs of agency nursing in 2001–02 have not been published.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 28 March 2003, Official Report, column 443W.

Arthritis

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to improve access to (a) treatments and (b) services for arthritis.

Jacqui Smith: Our policies to improve general hospital care, especially through the new single assessment process, will ensure that the health care needs of older people—who are the main sufferers from arthritis—will be properly targeted. This will ensure that the services that are provided are most appropriate to older people's needs, including people with arthritis.
	People with arthritis will benefit from the expert patients programme, which will see the national health service provide training in self-management skills for people with long-term chronic conditions. The first pilot phase has begun in selected primary care trust (PCT) sites, with activity to take place both on a generic and a disease-specific basis.
	In the past year, two new classes of drugs, Cox II inhibitors and anti-TNF therapy, have been made available to arthritis patients following reviews by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). In addition, NICE is reviewing the drug, Anakinra, for its clinical and cost-effectiveness in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
	We have issued directions obliging health authorities and PCTs to provide appropriate funding for recommended treatments. This is in line with our commitment to ensure that patients receive drugs and treatments recommended by NICE on the NHS if deemed appropriate by their clinicians.

Care Home Beds

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were available in Buckinghamshire in the care home sector in 2002.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the number of care home beds in Buckinghamshire in 2002 is not yet available. At 31 March 2001, there was a total of 5,380 residential and nursing care home places in the Buckinghamshire area: 3,430 residential care places in Buckinghamshire County and Milton Keynes Unitary authorities and 1,950 nursing care places in Buckinghamshire Health Authority.

Children's Institutions

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children's homes there are in England; how much funding is allocated to each per year; and what estimate he has made of the number of children living in institutions in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what plans he has to improve the training of staff in children's institutions;
	(3)  what measures are in place to ensure that children in institutions have access to healthcare and education and are given skills to live and work when they leave the institution;
	(4)  what progress has been made in cooperating with community organisations to remove children from institutions by restoring family ties, placing them in foster families or making alternative arrangements.

Jacqui Smith: The table shows the number of children's homes and number of looked after children in children's homes at 31 March 2002. The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) now collates data on children's homes. Figures for 2002–03 should be available later in the year.
	
		
			 England All children's homes(23) Looked after children placed in homes(24),(25) 
		
		
			 1997 1,200 6,600 
			 1998 n/a 6,700 
			 1999 n/a 6,600 
			 2000 1,100 7,000 
			 2001 n/a 6,800 
			 2002 n/a 6,800 
		
	
	(23) Figures are available for 1997 and 2000 only.
	(24) Some homes may include children who are not looked after
	(25) Excludes children placed in homes under an agreed series of short term placements. Includes children in secure units, homes and hostels.
	In 2001–02, the gross expenditure by councils in England on children's homes was £716.7 million. In 2002, 89 per cent. of the 59,700 children looked after in England were in alternative placements to children's homes. The Children Act 1989 is based upon the belief that children are generally best looked after within the family, with both parents playing a full part and without resort to legal proceedings. When a child is being looked after by the local authority, the local authority is required to make arrangements for that child to live with a member of his family unless to do so would be impractical or inconsistent with the child's welfare. If they cannot live with their family, their placement should be best suited to their needs. The "choice protects" review focuses on the way in which placement options for looked after children are commissioned, and on support for fostering services.
	The "quality protects" programme has focused on ensuring children looked after gain the maximum life chance benefits from educational opportunities, health care and social care. The Department of Health recently announced a new public service agreement target for the education of children in care, to improve life chances for children by substantially narrowing the gap between the educational attainment and participation of children in care and that of their peers by 2006. Joint Department for Education and Skills/Department of Health Guidance on the Education of Young People in Public Care (May 2000) sets out clear steps for local authorities to take to improve attainment. The Department of Health also published new guidance in November 2002 on "Promoting the Health of Looked After Children".
	National Minimum Standards (NMS) for Children's Homes were published in April 2002. They set out standards covering provision of healthcare, education and life skills to children looked after as well as the training and qualifications of care staff and registered managers. A new grant, the National Training Strategy Grant, is to commence this year. A proportion of this grant (£17.9 million) will support the completion of National Vocational Qualifications required under the NMS.

Delayed Discharge Data

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those NHS bodies found by the National Audit Office not to be adhering to his Department's definition of delayed discharge in data returns; and what in each case the cause of inaccuracy was.

Jacqui Smith: No. The national health service trusts identified by the National Audit Office survey as departing significantly from the Department's central definition for delayed transfers of care, have subsequently confirmed that they are now working within the central definition.

Enuresis

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the drug therapies available to treat children with enuresis; and what proportion of children with enuresis are receiving drug treatment for the condition.

Jacqui Smith: Drug therapy is an option in the treatment of childhood enuresis. There are four drugs that can be used to treat children with enuresis listed in the British National Formulary (BNF 6.5.2 Desmopressin Acetate, 4.3.1 Amitriptyline Hydrochloride, Imipramine Hydrochloride and Nortriptyline).
	Information on the number of children with enuresis and on those who receive the drugs listed above is not collected centrally. However, it is estimated that around 180,000 prescription items for these drugs were dispensed in the community in England for children in 2001. This relates to prescription items rather than numbers of children. Also this does not take account of prescription items dispensed in hospitals or private prescriptions.

Enuresis

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on including the treatment of enuresis in the Children's National Service Framework.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) on 24 February 2003, Official Report, columns 33–34W and on 4 March 2003, Official Report, column 996W.

Enuresis

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on how he ensures that children with enuresis are treated equally in each primary care trust;
	(2)  how many children suffer from enuresis in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority.

Jacqui Smith: Early development of the national service framework for children, young people and maternity services has shown that the standards set will be relevant to, although not specifically about, the management of enuresis. One key theme being developed is improving the management of common childhood illnesses and health concerns. The new standards will help to ensure that children and young people are able to access appropriate services at the right time and that they can take an active part in making decisions about their care.
	Information on the numbers of children with enuresis is not collected centrally.

Foundation Hospitals

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many foundation hospitals are proposed; and where they will be located.

John Hutton: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave my right hon. Friend, the member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on Thursday 6 March, Official Report, columns 1207–08W.
	An announcement about those invited to put forward second stage applications will be made shortly.

Mental Health

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the registration and inspection requirements are for independent hospitals caring for young people detained under the Mental Health Acts.

Jacqui Smith: Independent hospitals caring for young people detained under the Mental Health Act are required to register as independent hospitals with the National Care Standards Commission under the Care Standards Act 2000, and are required to comply with the Private and Voluntary Health Care Regulations made under that Act.
	Inspections are carried out annually. In considering whether an independent hospital complies with the Regulations, inspectors take into account the extent to which it meets the National Minimum Standards. There are two types of standards: Core Standards, which apply to all establishments, and Service-specific standards, which apply to the particular services provided. There are service-specific standards for all mental health hospitals, additional ones for those hospitals that treat children and adolescents, and a further set of standards addressing hospitals that take people who are liable to be detained under the Mental Health Act.
	Copies of all the regulations and standards are available in the Library. They can also be seen on the website at: www.doh.gov.uk-ncsc-independenthealthcare.pdf

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to make widely available an account of the responses to the consultation on the draft Mental Health Bill.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 2 April 2003
	We received almost 2,000 responses to the consultation. Work on the Mental Health Bill continues carefully and the results of the consultation will be made public before the introduction of the Bill.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the average cost per child to mental health services of treating children with enuresis that are believed to suffer from psychological problems.

Jacqui Smith: The information is not available in the form requested.

Neuroleptic Prescribing

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 24 February 2003, Official Report, column 371W, on neuroleptic prescribing, what research his Department is commissioning to discover the extent of overmedication in care homes; and how much research has been commissioned on overmedication in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its funding from the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Technology. The MRC is not currently funding any research on overmedication in care homes. The MRC always welcomes high quality applications for research into any aspect of human health, and these are considered in competition with other demands on funding.
	The Department funds research to support policy and delivery of effective practice in health and social care. The Department has not recently, and is not currently, funding any research on overmedication in care homes.
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, announced on 31 March 2003 that, as part of its eighth work programme, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence would be looking at the management of dementia, including the use of anti-psychotic medication in people with dementia.

NHS University

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 13 March 2003, Official Report, column 419W, on the NHS University (NHSU), when the NHSU working group last met; and if the NHSU working group have a date which they are working to, to submit the necessary paperwork to the Privy Council to grant the NHSU university status.

John Hutton: The first meeting of the joint working group on university status for the National Health Service University will take place in early May. By autumn 2003 it will produce recommendations, including a timetable, on the appropriate processes and mechanisms for the NHSU to work towards a successful application for university status.

Occupational Therapists/Physiotherapists

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to revise his Department's targets for recruiting (a) occupational therapists and (b) physiotherapists as a result of the recommendation of the National Audit Office in its report on hospital discharge.

John Hutton: The NHS Plan acknowledged that there was a shortage of staff in the national health service and set challenging targets for increasing the NHS work force. The Government are committed to increasing the numbers of therapists and other health professionals, including physiotherapists and occupational therapists, by 6,500 by 2004 over a 1999 baseline. By September 2001, there had been an increase of 3,400.
	Occupational therapy and physiotherapy are two of the fastest growing professions in the NHS, increasing by 2,030 or 20 per cent. and 1,970 or 14 per cent. respectively since 1997.
	Occupational therapy training places have increased by 605 and physiotherapy training places by 687 since 1997 and are set to rise further as part of the NHS Plan commitment to provide 4,450 more training places for therapists and other key professional staff by 2004.

Older People

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many councils have reviewed their eligibility for adult social care to ensure they do not discriminate on the basis of age as part of the milestones set out in the National Service Framework for Older People.

Jacqui Smith: Councils are asked to implement eligibility criteria in accordance with Department of Health guidance on 'Fair access to care services', by 7 April 2003. Through implementing the guidance, councils will fulfil the first stage requirement of standard one of the national service framework for older people with respect to rooting out age discrimination. This is because the eligibility framework focuses entirely on needs and risks and makes no reference to age. Implementation of the guidance will also assist councils to review wider policies for, and access to, adult social care in pursuit of standard one.

Parliamentary Questions

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer the Question, reference 95866, tabled by the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon.

John Hutton: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on Friday 28 March.

Parliamentary Questions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam will receive replies to his questions (a) 103150, (b) 100709, (c) 100710, (d) 100712 and (e) 97271.

John Hutton: holding answer 27 March 2003
	I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave him on 25 March 2003, Official Report, column 200W, and on 26 March 2003, Official Report, column 266W. I also refer him to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State (Jacqui Smith) on 24 March 2003, Official Report, column 77W, and to that given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Mr. Lammy) on 25 March 2003, Official Report, column 192W. I answered the remaining question on 1 April.

Pensions

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) funded and (b) unfunded public sector pension schemes for which his Department, its agencies and its non-departmental public bodies are responsible; when the last actuarial valuation was of each scheme; what the value was of the assets at the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; what deficit is disclosed by the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies are not responsible for any public pension schemes but some do participate in the national health service pension schemes.
	The NHS Pension Scheme is unfunded and holds no assets. However, for the purpose of assessing the level of employer contributions a notional account is maintained.
	The last NHS Pension Scheme valuation report was published on 9 March 1999 and covered the period 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1994. However, the Government Actuary has since assessed the capitalised value of the scheme's liabilities for past service and assumed future service, including pension increases, as £109.3 billion as at 31 March 1999.

Prison Health Care

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the (a) care programme approach and (b) section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 apply to prisoners.

Jacqui Smith: The Government's policy, as set out in Changing the Outlook a Strategy for Developing and Modernising Mental Health Services in Prisons, December 2001, is that prisoners who were on the care programme approach (CPA) before coming into prison should be able to have their programmes of treatment continued as far as possible within the prison setting. Prisoners whose clinical profile would precipitate CPA in the community should commence on CPA in prison. The NHS Plan included firm commitments that, by 2004, all prisoners with severe mental illness will be in receipt of treatment and no prisoner with a serious mental illness will leave prison without a care plan and a care co-ordinator.
	Implementation of the prison mental health strategy will have the effect of applying the aftercare arrangements required under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 to prisoners who, having been transferred to hospital for in-patient treatment, are subsequently returned to prison.

Private Hire Vehicles

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements his Department makes for the regulation and training of private hire vehicle companies employed by local authorities to transport (a) adults and (b) children with (i) autism and (ii) other disabilities.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. friend the Parliamentary Under-secretary of State at the Department for Transport on Monday 31 March, Official Report, column. 517W.

Public Dividend Capital

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid in dividends to the Consolidated Fund on public dividend capital by each NHS trust for each year since 1997; and what percentage of the public dividend capital held by each NHS trust these amounts represent.

John Hutton: The information has been placed in the Library.

Residential Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the Personal Social Services Research Unit examination of demand and supply, by region, for residential care referred to in the National Audit Office report on hospital discharge.

Jacqui Smith: We commissioned this research from the Personal Social Services Research Unit in 2000. As a result, we published "The Residential Care and Nursing Home Sector for Older People: An Analysis of Past Trends, Current and Future Demand" on 8August 2002. Copies are available in the Library and on the Department's website at: www.doh.gov.uk/careanalysis.index.htm The research illustrated that the supply and demand for care homes is not in balance in each region.

Rothbury Cottage Hospital

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects work to start on the new Rothbury cottage hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Northumbria Healthcare National Health Service Trust will be meeting the Duke of Northumberland's agent on 3 April 2003 to try and resolve outstanding land issues over the Pipers Field site. Providing agreement can be reached, work would commence on building the hospital in late 2003 and completed by early summer 2004.